Chapter Eighteen

“Why do I think this is a horrible idea?” Joselyn asked as they pulled into the parking lot at Mountain Peak Brewery.

Alton gripped her hand but didn’t say anything.

“How about if I wait in the SUV. Or better yet, I should probably wait at your apartment. If your family reacts anything like mine, you’re about to get ripped to shreds in there.”

“And you don’t want to witness it?” he joked.

“I don’t want to have rotten tomatoes thrown at me.” She waited while he rounded the Explorer to open her door and take her hand to help her down. This was not going to be fun. Today would surely go down in the books as the worst day of her life.

At least she hoped so. A worse day than today would break her.

They walked to the front of the building in silence, the tension building with every step. Alton never released her hand. Except for the few times he’d had to round the SUV to get into the driver’s seat, she didn’t think he’d stopped touching her since last night.

She liked that about him. It was comforting in the face of mayhem.

When they reached the front door, Alton pulled it open, but a broad enormous man stood in the doorway, legs spread wide, arms crossed, brow furrowed. “She’s not welcome here.”

Joselyn tugged her hand, trying to back up a pace. The man was almost seven feet tall, taller than most men she knew. Grizzly shifters were known for their height and huge frames, but this guy was outrageous. She hadn’t seen him before.

Alton didn’t let her retreat. He didn’t even let her step behind him. He kept her at his side, his equal. “Don’t be an ass, Weldon. I work here. She’s my mate. Get out of the way.”

“She’s an Arthur.”

“You’re so astute. Now, back off.” Alton didn’t move physically, but there was no denying he projected a sense of power.

Weldon’s phone buzzed, and he tugged it out of his pocket. “Yes.” He looked fit to kill as he nodded a few times and then backed up two paces. “Your father would like you to join him in the boardroom.” He didn’t say another word about Joselyn as she and Alton passed the burly man.

“Great,” Joselyn communicated to her mate as she followed him into a lobby not much different from her own family’s lobby. “The welcome committee is waiting for us in the boardroom.”

“Do not let them get to you. The ones who matter will understand and welcome you. The others don’t mean fuck to me.”

Intellectually she knew that to be true. It was the same in her pack. However, it still hurt to have people screaming in her face as if she had a vile disease.

She could hear raised voices shouting over one another as they rounded the corner in the sterile gray hallway and then stepped into what had to be the boardroom.

A dozen people were sitting around an enormous oval table. The remnants of bagels and Danishes were scattered on the top on small plates. Napkins and half-empty coffee mugs littered the surface also. They’d been in there a while.

The room held eight men and four women. Among the women was Beth, Alton’s mother. His father sat next to her at the head of the table. She stood and worked her way around the chairs to reach the entrance. When she reached her son, she cupped his face and then turned toward Joselyn and wrapped her in a warm hug. “Do not let these fools get to you,” she communicated silently.

Joselyn calmed, marginally. At least Beth was accepting. Not that she’d doubted his mother would be anything less than kind and loving.

Someone slammed a hand on the table, making Joselyn jump in her skin. She glanced around Beth to see a man who was undoubtedly one of Alton’s uncles fuming as he stood. He had the same square jaw and dark eyes as Allister. “You have got to be kidding me. What nerve you have bringing that woman here.”

Allister stood at the head of the table. “Good God, Espen. What’s the matter with you? Do you not have any manners?”

Joselyn placed Espen Tarben in her head as the father of Jack Tarben who had gone rogue a few months ago and scratched Heather, forcing her to transition into a grizzly shifter against her will. He was now in prison, held by the Arcadian Council in the Northwest Territories.

“We’re in the middle of a serious situation here. We don’t need the enemy listening in on our conversations.”

Alton stiffened. “Joselyn’s not the enemy. And as you can tell, we’ve completed the binding. So, I’ll ask you to show her the same level of respect you’d show anyone’s mate in this pack. Your implication is insulting. It’s obvious someone inside our own offices stole information from Glacial. She’s not the guilty party.”

Maybe this wouldn’t go so badly after all, especially since Alton had a point. At her office, they were investigating the possibility of a leak. At his, they were looking for the thief himself. There still existed the chance that whoever leaked the plans from Glacial was unaware they’d done so.

Someone in the Tarben clan had maliciously and intentionally stolen the information. If anything, they should be treating her far more kindly than her family treated him.

But it didn’t seem several of his family members agreed.

Another uncle of his groaned. “You’re a fool, Alton. And you need to stop the cocky attitude. You’re our primary suspect.”

Alton gasped. “Are you insane, Uncle Quint? Why on earth would I steal company secrets from my own mate? Don’t you think that might put a bit of a damper on my relationship?”

Espen spoke again. “Who really gives a fuck who managed to weasel the information from some stupid Arthur?” He smirked. “I don’t understand why we’re even investigating this. The important thing is that we stuck it to the Arthurs good.”

Alton stiffened. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe his family was as completely screwed up as hers. It didn’t seem like any headway was going to happen here any more than it had at her pack’s brewery. He had the same family division—two reasonable uncles and two hard-headed assholes. Split down the center.

“That’s not how we run a business, Espen,” Allister stated. “I’d prefer we earn our recognition in the community without using nefarious means.”

“Then you’d be holding us back, big brother. Don’t be such a fool. It’s a cutthroat world out there. If some prick over at Glacial leaked information to one of our people, they deserve to lose this round.” He glared hard at Joselyn as he spoke.

She shuddered inwardly, keeping her head held high. Finally, she broke her silence. “If you mean to imply that I would undermine my family’s business to help yours, you’ve lost your mind.”

Espen flattened his palms on the table and leaned forward. “Watch who you’re speaking to, missy. You’re on thin ice as it is. I should have Weldon toss your ass out in the street.”

Joselyn started to respond, but Alton beat her to it. “You’ll do no such thing, you old fool. Get your head out of your ass, and don’t speak to my mate again with that tone.”

Everyone started shouting at each other, actually discussing the merits of tossing not just Joselyn but Alton out the door.

When someone stepped up behind Joselyn, she tugged on Alton’s hand to get his attention. They were still blocking the door.

A gangly young man shoved his way past Joselyn, forcing her to flatten her body against Alton’s side. He held a pile of papers in his hand and rounded the table to hand them to Quint. “Found these in Alton’s office, sir.” Before anyone could respond, he fled the room as if it were on fire.

Joselyn nearly choked when she recognized the colorful photos. They were hers. Her marketing designs. Early mockups from months ago, but definitely hers. “Alton?”

He wrapped an arm around her, holding her back to his front. “I see them. You know they didn’t come from my office.”

She nodded subtly. He was right. She knew in her heart he didn’t steal anything from her. But who planted those mockups? And why? More importantly, when? Probably in the last hour if she had to guess.

Espen held up one page after another. “Looks like the work of the marketing manager for Glacial.” He looked pointedly at Joselyn. “Isn’t that you?” He asked unnecessarily.

Alton, still holding her against him, stepped more fully into the room, reached across the table, and snatched the pages from his uncle’s hands. He tossed them in the air so they fell spread out all over the table, wafting to the surface like feathers. “Do I look like a damn idiot to you people?” He looked directly at Espen. “Even if I did steal company secrets from my own woman, do you think I would leave them in my office for anyone to find?”

“He’s got a point,” his Uncle Riddell stated, tapping his chin. “The boy’s not stupid, Espen. Besides, what did you do? Get your damn errand boy to riffle through Alton’s office without permission? Did you plant these papers yourself, or did you have Tavion plant them first? Hell, did he even go into Alton’s office? Or just show up here saying he’d found them in there?”

Espen’s face was bright red. “You calling me a liar, brother?”

“I’m saying you had no authority to lure that young man into your web and ask him to do your dirty work. Tavion’s only been a member of our pack for a few years. Don’t corrupt him with your shit. Neither you nor anyone else has business going into Alton’s office.”

“I didn’t go into anyone’s office. I simply had Tavion take a glance in every corner of this building this morning to get to the bottom of this while we’ve been in here wasting time.”

Voices rose again.

“Every one of you has lost your mind if you think I had anything to do with this. I suggest you dig a little deeper and not waste your time on bullshit if you want to find the culprit.” Alton pointed at the scattered papers. “I’m taking the rest of the day off.” He turned toward his father. “Call me if you need me.”

Allister nodded at his son and switched his gaze to Joselyn, sending her a pained look of sorrow.

Joselyn was crawling out of her skin by the time they left the office. They had only been there half an hour, but it felt like a lifetime.

Alton didn’t say a word on the way back to the SUV. He nodded politely at the few people they passed but didn’t engage. She could feel the stress wafting off him. It wasn’t until he pulled out of the parking lot that he finally blew out an audible breath.

“You know I didn’t believe them, right?” she pointed out.

He shot her a glance. “Yes. Of course. I mean, I would hope so. You did doubt me for a while two days ago,” he half-teased.

She glanced at her lap. He wasn’t wrong. She’d done exactly that.

Without a word, he pulled over to the side of the road and put the SUV in park. When he turned to face her, he took her closest hand and leaned toward her. “Look at me.”

She lifted her gaze, but couldn’t stop the tear. “I’m sorry I ever thought anything bad about you for even a second. It was uncalled for. I wasn’t in my right mind. I was freaking out, and—”

He cut her off by cupping her face with one hand and drawing her lips to his. “I know,” he muttered against her mouth. “Stop beating yourself up. We’re connected now. You’ve let me all the way into your wonderful mind. I can see your thoughts. Don’t waste another moment on the other morning. If the tables had been reversed and I’d been in your shoes, I’m sure I would have had similar concerns.”

She reached with her free hand to wipe her eyes. “I doubted you.”

“And I didn’t let you continue to believe that for long, did I?”

She forced a smile. How did she get so lucky? And then she sat up straighter. “Let’s go for a run. I need to shift. My skin is crawling from the inside out. My bear needs release.”

He smiled back. “Best idea I’ve heard all day.” He put the SUV back in drive and took off.

She didn’t even ask where he was going, but he surprised her when he pulled up to Austin’s house a few minutes later. “This is my favorite spot to park and run from. My parents’ home is pretty awesome too, but ever since Austin built this place, I’ve loved coming here. The view is spectacular from every angle.”

She jumped down from the front seat before he could round to her side of the SUV.

“Hey, that’s my job.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward the house. “Nuria’s home. Let’s let her know we’re leaving the Explorer here.”

Nuria stepped out onto the porch before they made it to the steps. “Hey. You guys okay?” The concern in her voice was expected. She would be in constant contact with Austin, who would have told her how crazy things were at the brewery.

“As good as can be expected. Just wanted to let you know we’re leaving the SUV here to go for a run.”

She nodded. “Of course. Take your time. Anything you need, let me know. I’ll fix you guys lunch. Stop in and grab it when you get back. You can stay and eat or take it with you.”

Joselyn pursed her lips against the kindness of this woman she barely knew. Before she could thank her, Nuria dipped back into the house.

“Come on.” Alton tugged her hand, and they rounded the cabin that was a smaller version of the one his parents owned. The view was equally amazing too. The crisp air beckoned her. It was cold, but in her grizzly form in the middle of the day with the sun shining, it would be perfect weather for a run.

When they stepped into the trees at the back of the property, she closed her eyes, took a breath, and let the shift wash over her. Leaning forward, she allowed her bones to lengthen and shorten and transform while fur replaced skin and clothes. In fifteen seconds she stood before her mate in her grizzly form, watching him finish his own transformation.

He was gorgeous. She’d seen him shift a handful of times over the years, but he never failed to take her breath away. He was nearly twice her size, his dark brown hair almost black. His dark eyes bore into her as he pawed at her. “Come on. I want to show you something.” He tipped his head toward the mountain and bounded up between the trees.

She stayed right on his heels, following him at a rapid pace as they both ran hard to blow off steam. For fifteen minutes they climbed. And then Alton turned to the east and headed along the side of the mountain before coming back down in another spot.

She figured they weren’t too far from where they’d started, but also realized he’d intentionally taken a circuitous route in order to exercise and control the buildup of stress they had lingering from visiting their respective breweries.

When he finally slowed and then came to a stop, she lifted her head and stared in the same direction he was looking. “Wow. Amazing.” Mountains stretched in every direction. The view was stunning. She held her breath to listen to the sounds of nature. Birds. The rustle of branches. The wind itself. She had fantastic hearing in her bear form. It was better than regular people, even in her human form, but in her grizzly form, she could hear at even greater distances.

“Yeah. I love this spot.”

“I guess so. Do you come here often?”

“As often as I can. What do you think?”

She cocked her head toward him. “I said it’s gorgeous. What do you mean?”

He turned around, facing the land behind them. And then he surprised her by shifting. She watched him for a moment before following his lead.

Their feet crunched through the snow as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and leaned against his side, following his line of sight. What was he thinking? She didn’t want to interrupt his thoughts.

Finally, he lifted his free arm and pointed at a spot not far away in the clearing. “I always imagined the house would go there with a wide back porch that faced this direction, allowing us to snuggle in a porch swing and stare at the mountains.”

She furrowed her brow for a moment until it dawned on her. “This is your land?”

He smiled down at her. “Yes. It’s the section my parents set aside for me. We each have our own. Austin obviously built on his. I wanted to wait until you and I were bound together before I did anything.”

She glanced back at the clearing. “Wow, Alton. It’s so beautiful.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I hope we find a way to stay living in Silvertip, or this land will never see a house.”

“Me too,” she whispered, knowing she had as many doubts as him.

If the reaction coming from both of their families was any indication, she didn’t have high hopes they would even be able to live in Alberta, let alone develop this piece of land.