Chapter Twelve
Once back at the clan den, Ivy took a deep breath and got out of Cullen’s truck. He came around the front of the vehicle, taking her hand while Presley climbed out of the back and lifted Bella from her car seat. Van got out of the truck they’d borrowed and brought up the rear.
Garland Scott stood on the porch next to a stoic Ty. As soon as the interloper saw Ivy, he jumped off the porch, shifting mid-jump. He paused a moment, using his claws to slice his ruined clothing from him. Then he ran full-on toward Cullen and the others.
“Van!” Cullen shouted. If this bastard thought he could lay one claw on Ivy or sweet little Bella, or even Presley who he didn’t know, he had another think coming. “The females.”
“You got it.”
Cullen was barely aware of Van ditching his clothes and shifting to grizzly, placing himself in front of Ivy, Presley, and Bella. Garland now had two bears to go through to get to Ivy and his daughter.
The charging bear wasn’t going to give Cullen time to shift. He bounced back on his heels, fists up, and waited for his moment.
The grizzly roared and swiped one massive paw at Cullen. Cullen ducked and rolled under the outswept arm, popping back up to his feet before the big grizzly could even move. He hammered his fists into the bear’s sides lightning fast—right, left, right, right. A sharp crack came to his ears and he smiled as Garland roared his pain. That was one rib down, several more to go.
The bear charged again. Rage made him sloppy, and gave Cullen one chance after another to land blow after blow while staying out of reach of its claws. His final strike was a slam of his fist to the bear’s jaw. The animal’s head jerked to one side as he howled in pain. He lost his footing and went down.
“He won’t stay down,” he heard Ivy whisper.
“He’d better stay down, if he knows what’s good for him,” Ty responded.
Cullen turned his back on the beaten bear and started walking toward Ivy. Her face was pale, her eyes dark and round. They went even rounder and she screamed his name, pointing to something behind him.
He twisted to the side, narrowly missing a swipe from Garland’s paw. Cullen jumped and came down, slamming his clenched hands into the bear’s snout. Garland shrieked in pain and fell back, shaking his head.
Cullen took the opportunity to strip and finally let his bear out to play. The change rolled through him in less than a second. He went from a six-three two-hundred-pound male to nearly five hundred pounds of werebear with a score to settle.
The fight was ferocious. It was final for Garland Scott. In a matter of minutes, Cullen, still in his bear form, stood over the dying male and roared his triumph. He stood on his hind legs, challenging anyone else who wanted to take him on. When no one came forward, he dropped to all fours and padded over to Ivy and the others.
When he shifted back to human, Mia was there with a blanket, which he draped over his shoulders and pulled closed in front of him. Ivy stepped forward, her arms outstretched. He opened his arms long enough for her to cuddle in against him, then he closed the blanket again, enveloping them both in its warmth and comfort.
“This was a righteous kill,” Ty called out to those of the clan who had gathered to watch the fight. “Cullen was the clear winner and would have let Garland Scott live, had Scott had honor. Yet he attacked Cullen when his back was turned, showing us he had no honor at all.” He looked out over the crowd, eyes black with his bear. “Do any witnesses disagree?” His gaze fell on one person and he lifted a brow. “Helen?”
She shook her head. “Garland acted without honor, Itan.” She glanced at the body for a moment, then looked at Cullen where he stood with Ivy in his arms. “I thought I was doing the right thing by calling him. I thought…” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I didn’t know he’d killed Bayleigh,” she said quietly, her gaze on Ivy. “I’m so sorry.” Without another word, she turned and walked away.
“Ivy,” Ty called. He waited until she looked at him. “I’ll follow up with the Scottsville Itan and the Lookout Mountain Itan. A challenge was offered and answered, and the mightier bear won.” He glanced at Bella, where she rested in Presley’s arms. “As far as we’re concerned, that child is yours.” He and Mia turned and went back into the house.
“I’ll take Presley and Bella back to Lucy’s,” Van told him quietly, wearing a blanket of his own. “Just as soon as I get dressed,” he added dryly.
Cullen nodded but didn’t take his gaze off Ivy. “It’s over,” he said. He pulled one arm free from the blanket and tipped her chin up. “And now that you don’t have to run, will you stay? With me? Give this fated mate thing a try?”
“For how long?”
“The rest of our lives.”
She gave him a tremulous smile and went up on her tiptoes. Pressing her lips against his, she gave him a long, slow kiss full of promise. When she drew away, there was doubt on her face. “What if you hurt me? What if I hurt you?”
“There’s somethin’ my mama used to tell me, when she’d talk about her and my daddy. ‘Son,’ she’d say, ‘the fact of life is, everyone’s gonna hurt you. You just have to find that one woman who’s worth sufferin’ for, because the joy will outweigh the pain.’”
“She was right.” She looked up at him. “And Bella?”
“Our oldest cub, sweetness. I know you love her, and I’m already on my way, the little bit I’ve been around her.”
Ivy searched his face and must have found what she was seeking, because she nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay.” His grin like to split his face. He was happier than he’d ever been in his life, and he knew it was because he’d finally found what had been missing. He knew Ivy had, too. They’d each been a part of a whole but alone, and now that they were together, there wasn’t anything they couldn’t do.
No one could take this away from them. The rest of their lives were just beginning.