Chapter Thirty-Nine
They got back in time for the bedtime feed, Joe and Ollie staying to help them with it. By the time all was said and done, they were both exhausted, falling asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.
The next morning, Hunter couldn’t shake the odd sensation that something was off. He checked in with Cade, checked each of the babies, but didn’t find anything amiss. He stepped outside of their house and felt it again, stronger this time. Telling Cade he was going to walk the den’s borders, he went to the bridge and found Jensen already there. The alpha was standing there, staring across the river, his hands on his hips.
“I think there’s someone out there,” he said.
Hunter looked but couldn’t see anyone. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling dogging him.
“I think you’re right.”
There was a rustling in the bushes.
“Whoever you are,” Hunter shouted. “We know you’re there. Come on out.”
There was silence for a moment then a man slunk out from behind a tree, sauntering toward the bank of the river. The bridge was down and neither of them made any move to raise it. Whoever this person was, he wasn’t good news. All the hairs on the back of Hunter’s neck were standing up on end.
“What do you want?” Jensen asked.
The man glanced from him to Hunter. “Which one of you is the bear?”
“Who wants to know,” Hunter asked, folding his arms.
“Ajak, the alpha of the bears, demands to know.”
“This is a den, neutral ground. He has no business here.”
The man grinned slyly. “Ajax has business with all bears. He’s their alpha.”
Hunter started to suspect this was his own doing. His attempt to find the bears back when he’d first learned who he was had obviously drawn some attention his way. Attention that was now unwanted.
“You’re not welcome here,” Jensen said without hesitation. “Leave.”
The man’s grin grew wider and he folded his arms. “I’m not on your land. I’ll just wait here to speak to the bear you’ve got in there.”
Hunter exchanged a look with Jensen then reached for the button to raise the bridge. The man moved forward and Hunter held up a hand.
“Stay there,” he demanded. The man stilled.
Hunter leaned in, whispering quickly into Jensen’s ear, the other alpha nodding his understanding.
Hunter walked to the bridge and stood there for a moment watching the man, then shifted. He didn’t take his gaze off the intruder, watching how his eyes widened in shock and surprise. Hunter was right. He’d guessed the man didn’t know he could change or hadn’t believed it. Hunter stalked toward him, growling as the man edged backward until his back hit a tree trunk. He froze.
Hunter went right up to him, stood on his back legs, and roared as loudly as he could, the sound carrying through the air. Then he shifted back, getting right into the man’s face.
“Your alpha has no business with me or with the dens. But if he or any of his people come here again, I’ll make him my business. Got it?”
Pale, the grin wiped clean from his face, the man nodded. “Got it. I’ll make sure my alpha understands.”
Hunter backed off and the man skirted around the tree and ran, crashing away through the woods. He watched him go, not turning back for the den until he was sure the man was long gone.
Jensen stood on the other side of the bridge. When he met Hunter’s gaze, he raised an eyebrow.
“What was that all about?”
Hunter shrugged. “I tried to find my father before I returned here. I guess word got around and Ajax thought he’d assert his authority.”
“Do you think we’ll have more trouble?”
Hunter shook his head. “From what little I heard, Ajax and his immediate family can’t shift. He’ll be scared of losing power to me. Knowing I’m pledged to the dens should mean he wants nothing to do with me.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.”
They lowered the bridge and turned to walk back into the village. Ollie ran up to greet them. “Hunter, Cade needs you.”
Hunter thanked him and rushed home.
Cade met him in the doorway. “The kids are out back with Joe. We heard your bear. The kids heard it too. They- Come and see.”
They stepped out into the garden and Hunter was greeted with a sight he’d never imagined seeing. Five bears cubs played on the grass, chasing each other, rolling around and getting up to mischief.
Joe watched them, unable to keep a smile from his face.
Hunter knelt slowly on the grass and the cubs made a beeline for him, climbing all over him while he hugged and petted each one.
“You should shift,” Cade urged as Ollie appeared in the doorway.
“Only if you shift too,” Hunter said, lifting Lily to the floor when she tried to scramble up onto his shoulder.
“You first,” Cade said, nodding his agreement.
Hunter gently detached from the babies and moved away to get some space. It was easy to shift again, so eager was he to interact with his little ones on the same level. To see what they saw, to scent what they scented. His fears of hurting them faded as soon as his paws hit the floor. He was acutely aware of them, of where they were, of how they moved, and instinctively knew what to do. He moved closer, nudging Brody who came to play hide and seek behind his legs. Anna came crashing after him, bouncing around with boundless energy. Milo and Lily followed their siblings’ lead, chasing each other around Hunter’s feet.
Gabby was last, padding up slowly to stand in front of him. He bent down and nuzzled her with his nose, thankful every moment for what Eamon had done for her.
Cade watched from the sidelines while Hunter played with the cubs. Even at only a month old, they already had such personality. Lily more outgoing, Milo hanging back, Gabby taking everything in.
He sat on the wall, Joe one side of him and Ollie the other. Joe was practically family now, after all they’d been through together. Cade reached out and took his hand, knowing the other man was still hurting after his separation from Axel.
“We’re so grateful you’re here,” he told him.
Joe beamed at him. “I’m so glad you let me stay. I’ve seen and done more in the past few months that I did in the Cove my whole life. I miss Andy and my parents but… there was nothing left for me there, not really.”
“Hey, what about me?” Ollie said. “Aren’t you grateful you have me at your beck and call?”
Cade wrapped an arm around Ollie’s shoulders and kissed his cheek. “Of course I am, it goes without saying. But I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it. I couldn’t have done this without you, Ollie.”
They sat there as the minutes ticked by, watching the fun the cubs were having. Hunter too, the alpha seeming truly at ease with who he was.
“I think you’re missing someone,” Ollie said, nudging Cade gently.
“What! Who?” Cade asked, sitting up and doing a quick count. He got to five and sighed with relief, turning to glare at Ollie.
“You,” his brother said, nudging him again. “Go on out there and join your family.”
Cade’s annoyance faded in the face of Ollie’s enthusiasm and he grinned, giving Ollie another hug.
He moved around to the side and shifted, then went to join the rowdy bunch on the grass. The cubs sniffed the air around them, scenting him, and two of them, Lily and Milo, shifted into tiger cubs, running over to join him.
He nudged them back toward their papa, and he and Hunter nuzzled noses, a greeting he knew he would never get tired of. They lay down together on the grass, the cubs playing around them, and on them, tiring themselves out. Hunter and Cade made a space between them and one by one the cubs curled up with them and fell asleep.
Cade watched Hunter drift off too, feeling his own eyes slipping closed. Everything was just right. Everything was perfect.