Mason whined.
I quickly tucked the gun away out of his sight and smiled back at him. “I’m going to see if anyone’s home, okay? You stay where you are. I’ll come get you in a minute.”
I shut the door and eased up the steps to the front door. I listened for a minute before knocking. My nerves were frayed after everything. I eased my gun out and held it steady at my side, ready to protect Mason with everything I had.
A big guy opened the door and took a long sniff of the air around me. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. “Can I help you?”
I nodded. “I’m looking for Lucas Long. Are you him?”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am. I’m his brother, Michael. He’s not here right now. Can I do anything for you?”
“I need to see him. It’s important. Do you know where I might find him?”
Footsteps came up behind me quickly and I instantly raised my arm to thrust my gun in Michael’s face as I twisted my body so I could see who was approaching me. “Touch me and I blow his head off.”
A guy equally as big as Michael froze and fur sprouted out on his bare chest. His eyes glowed bright gold and a growl ripped out of his chest. “Lady, you’ve got about two seconds to explain why you’re pointing a gun at my brother’s head.”
“You’re bears, too.” I nearly cried I was so happy to see more humans who turned into bears. “Oh, thank God.”
The pissed off one raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”
I gradually lowered my gun and stepped back. “Sorry. U.S. Marshal Sam Delaney. I have a package for Lucas Long. I think you should get him here as soon as possible.”
*****Lucas*****
I’d barely explored the little Texas town of Gumdrop when Alex called with an urgent message for me to get home. Something about an important package for me. Important enough for me to rush home? Said I was needed ASAP. Something in Alex’s voice told me not to take his words lightly.
I couldn’t deny that there was a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach that had me pressing the gas pedal a little harder. It felt dire for me to get to the ranch as soon as I possibly could.
I blew through cities and towns without glancing up from the road. I stopped only when I had to and then immediately got back to it. Sleep had become a fond memory.
When I crossed the Wyoming state line, I just sped up. I felt almost sick with anticipation. I knew my brothers; Alex wouldn’t have called me home unless it was something huge. Had something happened to mom? My sister Bailey? A package Alex had said. Obviously that was a cover. What the hell could be urgent about a package?
I didn’t know what to expect.
By the time I sped down the driveway of our ranch, I’d gone days without sleep and a shower. I’d crossed over from looking rugged to looking like a homeless person, but I didn’t think twice about my appearance as I ran up the steps of the porch and burst into the house like a hurricane.
“Alex!”
He stepped out of the kitchen, looking grim. “Took you long enough.”
Fury filled my vision and my bear was at the ready. My bear had been compressed inside my truck for months. It desperately wanted to get out and stretch its muscles. “I just sped here from bum-fuck Texas. Don’t give me shit right now.”
He shook his head. “It isn’t the time. Why don’t you get cleaned up and come back down here?”
“What the fuck, Alex? This is important enough for me to rush home, but I have time to shower beforehand?”
A prickling of awareness broke through my anger as I breathed in the scent of something like apples and warm cinnamon sugar. It smelled a little like… apple pie? I breathed in deeper and groaned as my dick hardened in my pants. I’d never responded to apple pie that way before. “Who’s in there?”
Just then, a beautiful woman stepped out of the kitchen holding a cub in her arms. Her tall frame barely held the little bear’s weight, but she didn’t show any sign of weakness as she stepped purposefully towards me. Her sweet smell enveloped me until my eyes shut on their own. As I breathed her in, I had to ball my hands into fists to keep from grabbing her.
Underneath her scent, I smelled myself. It caught me off guard and I stepped back as I realized why. My cub. Naw. I took a deeper whiff. Yeah. The woman was holding my cub.
The shock of it hit me hard. I’d been all over the country looking for Mallory. I’d worn myself thin trying to find her because of a drugged-out call she’d made to me one night four years earlier. I hadn’t believed her then, but after everything with Dad’s will, I’d gone out scouring the country in hopes that she’d been telling the truth for once.