Bear Cuffs (Broken Hill Bears #3)(21)

   

    The next few weeks were idyllic. Rocco and Harper spent all their free time in bed, apart from when they were eating or running in the woods. She never tired of being entwined with his strong muscular body, kissing, mating and talking, making up for the years they'd missed. And by the time they'd done catching each other up on their lives, it felt like they'd never been apart.

    Harper moved into Rocco's room permanently, and they finished filling the cabin with things that they both loved. Every few days they talked about their dreams for the future; when they wanted to start having cubs. They agreed that they wanted two girls and two boys, and they joked that they were all going to end up being green-eyed.

   

    Harper felt like she couldn't get any happier. And then, one afternoon, as she sat on the porch, drinking a glass of root beer and planning the following day's lessons, the light south-westerly breeze that had been keeping her so cool suddenly brought a familiar and very unwelcome scent to her nostrils. Her body stiffened, and then she leapt to her feet, and the pile of papers fell from her lap, scattering on the floor. She ran all the way to the end of the driveway, turned a corner, and almost ran into him  –  a tall, well-built blond man, with rugged features and a broad, square-ish face.

    "Christian!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

    "Harper!" the man exclaimed, and broke into a grin, blue eyes sparkling. He took a step closer, and before she knew it, he'd swept her up in a hug. His arms felt familiar, and she choked back a wave of emotion. He put her down again and she staggered backward, startled. At the same moment, the unmistakable sound of Rocco's uniquely tuneless whistling reached her ears, and he appeared from the opposite corner of the cabin, dressed in a pair of wrestling shorts with a towel slung over one shoulder. At the sight of Christian, he stopped dead, his hackles rising. Christian glowered at him, an unpleasant smile marring his handsome features.

    "Well, well, if this isn't the hero of the moment, who ruined your life then got to be your mate anyway," he spat. He took a deep sniff of the air. "And, if I'm not mistaken, you've become mates in more than just the word." Harper was hit by a wave of embarrassment and worked hard to stop it from showing on her face.


     
       
         
       
        

    "Who the hell are you?" Rocco roared, while his bear let off a snarl. Harper made a swift movement so she was standing directly between the two furious bears.

    "Rocco, this is Christian. My ex-boyfriend."

    "What?" Rocco demanded, his eyes blazing with shock. "You had a boyfriend? Back in Pine Bluff?"

    "I did," she said, making her voice calm, although her heart was practically beating out of her chest.

    "Why didn't I know about this?"

    "Because you didn't deserve to, doofus!" Christian called from behind her.

    "Because, when I agreed to leave my home and become your mate, I was forced to put my current life aside. My home, my job, and my boyfriend. All of which I did. I broke up with Christian, and although it wasn't easy, he wished me well." Now she turned to face Christian. "Which makes me wonder what you're doing here, stirring up trouble." A look of anguish crossed Christian's face.

    "Harper, I didn't come here to stir up trouble, I swear. It's been so hard living without you. But I kept telling myself that as long as you were happy, then it was all okay. I understood that you had to mate a Broken Hill Bear to strengthen our pack. But inside it was killing me. So I told myself that I'd come and see how you were doing, and if I thought you were happy, then I'd leave without you even seeing me. But if I thought you looked sad, I'd intervene and bring you back home where you belong."

    "Christian, I appreciate your concern, I do. But I am happy. Rocco and I have got back together and everything's good between us."

    "How can you get back with him after what he did to you?" Christian demanded, his voice full of pain.

    "You've got it all wrong about him. I've found out that he broke up with me to protect me and my mom from danger. His intentions were good. I've forgiven him, and he's forgiven me for hating him all this time."

    "But what about me? You said you loved me, Harper." She stared at him, so choked up with sadness and pity that she could barely speak. "We were happy together."

    "We were. But I was always honest with you, Christian. I always said that I didn't think I was the best mate you could have. That I'd lost my heart at a young age, and I didn't think I'd be able to give you what you deserved."

    "I know, and I accepted that, because I thought you were the best girl in the world, and that was enough for me. We always had good times together, and I never hurt you. How can you be with him when he's caused you so much pain? When he destroyed your innocence?"

    "It wasn't his fault," she said, looking over her shoulder at Rocco who had been very quiet all this time. His face was a picture of misery. 

    "How could you not tell me you had a boyfriend, Harper?" Rocco said. "I assumed you were single, because I never thought you would've agreed to be my mate if you were already with someone else." Suddenly, and from somewhere deep inside her, Harper's anger bubbled up and overflowed.

    "Because what I wanted didn't come into it!" she yelled. "It was the will of the clans. And particularly of the Broken Hill Bears. The Pine Bluff Bears didn't need the mating. Yes, they want it because it strengthens them, but it was your clan that made the first move, to prevent the Black Paws from taking you over!" She was mad now; almost crazy mad, but she didn't care. "I didn't get a choice in any of this, so don't go blaming me!"

    Christian took a step forward and made as if to touch her arm, but she moved away from him.

    "But you do have a choice, Harper. Isn't that right, Rocco?" She snapped her head around to Rocco again and was startled to see guilt flash in his eyes.

    "Rocco? What is he saying?" Rocco let off a growl.

    "He's referring to an old shifter law that says that matings can be annulled after three months, if either party is unhappy," he said, spitting the words out through his teeth. Harper was quiet, counting on her fingers. It was 89 days since she'd had the mating ceremony.

    "And how come you two know this and I don't?"

    "I would've told you if you seemed unhappy," Rocco said.

    "Harper, come back home," Christian interrupted. "You've tried living in Broken Hill for 90 days. The clan will be very grateful to you for trying, and for making closer links with the Broken Hill Bears. Now come back to where you belong. Live your future with me, and don't go walking back into the past. Nothing good will come of it."

    Harper looked from one to the other. Nothing good will come of it, she repeated to herself. That sounded eerily like a prophecy. Which was a coincidence, as the original prophecy had been playing on her mind a lot.

    "I need a moment. Alone with Rocco," she said, and she took Rocco's arm and pulled him into the cabin with her.

    "How do you know that the prophecy is no longer valid?" she demanded.

    "Huh?"

    "I mean, what makes you think that once the danger with my mom passed, it's okay for us to be together? Maybe the prophecy lasts for all time and we can never be together?"

    "It's obvious, Harper."

    "Is it? I thought you said the Oracle doesn't speak in regular sentences. Did she categorically say we couldn't be together until the danger had passed?" Rocco rubbed the back of his head, his eyes full of guilt.

    "I guess not." He said. Harper let off a snarl of exasperation. Then she marched through the cabin and grabbed her car keys from the bowl in the hallway.

    "Where is this Oracle?" she demanded.

    "Harper, you can't  – "

    "Can't what?"

    "I mean, I think you need to make an appointment or something."

    "I guess I'll find out," she snapped. "Now tell me which mountain she lives on." Reluctantly, Rocco took her phone from her and dropped a pin on the spot.

    "Right here. You just go all the way up the winding path and she's at the top. Don't get freaked out when you see her though." Harper snatched it back and stormed outside.

    "I'm going to speak to the Oracle. You two better not kill each other while I'm gone. Rocco, I want you to stay at home, and maybe you can find a place for Christian to stay till I get back. After all I've been through, do you think you can do that for me?" Both men looked like they wanted to protest, but instead, they nodded obediently.