Chapter 4, Bearly Taken (Cub Lake Shifters #2)

Chapter 4

four

WREN

My mom met me at the shop with Parker.

I had always loved bookstores, so when our town’s only one closed during my freshman year of college, opening a new one had become my dream. Business classes seemed like an unnecessary expense, so I moved back to Cub Lake to start figuring things out.

It hadn’t been profitable at first, but I’d slowly made it work, and it wasn’t in the red anymore. I wasn’t making quite enough to quit working mornings at the diner or be comfortable paying rent on a nicer apartment, but I was getting there.

It had started as a normal bookstore, truthfully. But when I got pregnant, I talked to a lot of moms in town and realized that many of them had one thing in common:

They read books to get a break.

Whether they read dark, spicy mafia books or light, young adult fantasy, they needed that escape.

The problem?

Those adorable little munchkins exhausting them constantly.

So, my idea had really hatched.

A bookstore with a large playroom. Like the gym in town, but for your brain instead of your body. Perhaps not as physically healthy, but mentally? Necessary.

Though I didn’t make enough to cover paying someone to work full-time in the playroom, there were enough mothers and grandmothers who had volunteered a little of their time to make it work. If things kept going the way they were, in another year, I would be able to hire someone.

My mom went home after I thanked her profusely, and Parker ran around the bookstore like always as I got it ready for opening.

The first volunteer arrived with her two kids right on time, and we chatted for a few minutes before she headed to the playroom, holding Parker’s hand as they went.

Though I didn’t like watching him walk away, I was building the shop for him. For his future. I could make the money we would need to survive, to have a nice house, to really enjoy our life in a way I just couldn’t while working at the diner alone.

So, the sacrifice was worth it.

Or it would be worth it, eventually.

I stepped into the playroom for a minute to watch Parker devour his PB&J sandwich and checked my phone for the first time in a few hours.

There were messages from both Reed and Callie.

Callie

Well?

He’s still here. Insisted on working at the diner with me. I had to agree to move into his house to buy myself some space for him

Callie

WHAT?

HOW WILL THAT BUY YOU SPACE?

…

That’s a good question

It seemed like a reasonable option in the moment

Callie

Why?

He said my apartment wasn’t safe enough to leave my side. I was imagining us both trying to sleep on that couch together

Shudder

Callie

You could’ve moved in with me, as I’ve pointed out more than a dozen times

You’re living with Hudson now, remember?

And Reed’s house is gorgeous

Apparently he thought I was living there the whole time we were apart

Callie

Why would he possibly think that?

I have no idea

He gave me a key when we were sleeping together, so maybe that’s why?

Our conversation went on a few minutes before Hudson distracted her with something—probably hot shifter sex.

When she was gone, I had no choice but to open Reed’s message.

Reed

What are you guys eating for lunch?

I hesitated.

Then, throwing caution to the wind, I snapped a picture of Parker eating his third or fourth sandwich and sent that in response.

Reed

Fuck, he’s adorable

I know. So cute it hurts

Reed

No kidding

Does he say mama yet?

Yeah, he knows a lot of words

Loves cars. I hear car car car car all the time. Usually with emphatic pointing at his toy or a car outside

Reed

Damn, I want to see that

I stared down at the phone, not sure how to respond. After a minute, the bell at my register dinged softly.

I slipped my phone back in my pocket, and with one last glance at Parker, headed back in. He’d go down for his nap after he was done eating.

The next text from Reed came in two hours later.

Reed

Is there a difference between partial blackout curtains and 100%? I saw you had some kind of curtain in Parker’s room

My lips curved upward.

I probably shouldn’t have been happy to hear that he was trying to recreate Parker’s bedroom in his house, but I was. It was nice not to have to handle everything myself.

Yes

We need 100%

Reed

We? I like the sound of that.

My face flushed.

Don’t make me regret agreeing to this

Reed sent back a gif of someone saluting, and I bit back a snort as I put my phone away.

An hour and a half after that, he messaged again.

Reed

What time are you coming home?

That makes it sound too intimate

Reed

*What time are you arriving to your new house?

Around 6:30

Reed

What time does Parker go to bed?

7:30

He takes long naps

My office in the bookstore was set up as the perfect napping place for him, so that was good. I felt bad that he didn’t get to sleep in his room in the middle of the day, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Reed

I’ll take care of dinner

Is it okay if I interact with him while we eat or do you want me to keep my distance?

I stared down at the phone.

I’d already offered to let him take mornings, so… that wasn’t super different.

It felt different, though.

Nights with Parker were usually mine. I was possessive of that time with him.

But things were changing. I was just going to have to deal with it.

That’s fine

He’s grumpy at night a lot of the time though. If you’ll take it personally, you should just stay in your room or something.

Reed

I can handle it

Bet he’s cute when he’s grumpy too

Always

Reed

See you in a bit. I got everything moved in and let your landlord know. He’s not charging you a final month’s rent

You charmed the pants off him, didn’t you?

I know how deadly that smile is

Reed

You caught me

I think it’s the golden eyes

Parker can get anything he wants too

Reed

If they worked that well, you’d be with me right now

I bit my lip, looking down at the screen before finally answering.

I’ve been forced to become immune to prevent my son from being a tyrant

Exposure therapy does wonders

Reed

Guess I’ll just have to try harder

Someone rang the bell by the desk again, and I put my phone away, turning back to the register.

My smile wasn’t even slightly forced when they asked for a book recommendation.

My heart beat irrationally fast as I pulled into Reed’s driveway that night.

Putting my car in park, I squeezed my eyes shut. Parker yelled at me for stopping without getting him out of the car immediately, but I ignored the yell for a minute.

Agreeing to move in with Reed was pure insanity. He’d just barely come back to town, and was probably going to leave again.

What had I been thinking?

There had to have been a better option.

I—

A knock on my window had me jerking my head to the side, opening my eyes.

They locked with a set of gorgeous golds.

My heart beat faster, and harder.

Parker screeched happily, but Reed didn’t move to get him out. He was waiting for me.

I let out a slow breath.

Whether or not it was a mistake, I’d landed myself in this mess. There was no way out except through.

So, I turned off my car and opened the door. Reed caught it, offering me a hand. Though I knew I should reject it, I took it and let him help me out.

Instead of releasing my hand, he pulled me right into his arms. I landed against his chest with an oof , and he wrapped me up in a massive hug, inhaling deeply with his nose to my hair.

“You’re making sure I haven’t been with another guy, aren’t you?” I mumbled against him.

“Sure as fuck am.” His voice was low, and a little gravelly.

“It killed you to give me space today, didn’t it?”

“Felt like torture,” he agreed.

He never gave me space when he was in town before.

I would take work off, and we would spend all day every day in his house together. He cooked for me. We had sex. We played card games. Had more sex. Talked. Had even more sex.

There had been a lot of sex.

But also, fun.

I’d missed the fun fiercely when he stopped coming, and even more after he knocked me up and left.

“What if I have a boyfriend?” I asked.

“He’ll be in the ground before Parker goes to sleep.” Reed’s answer was easy, but not playful.

The bastard was serious.

He considered me his, even after ditching me.

“Killing the guy I’m in love with would be a pretty good way to push me out of your life.”

“You’re not dating anyone, but nice try.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I spent half the day in your house and moving your things. If you were dating someone, I would’ve smelled him. And you wouldn’t be hugging me like this. You’re too loyal.”

Damn shifters and their noses.

Oh well.

I wouldn’t have kept the charade up for long, anyway.

“Not for lack of desire,” I said, stepping out of Reed’s arms and opening the back door. Parker was still screeching, and the sounds weren’t happy anymore. I unbuckled his car seat and heaved it out—just for Reed to pluck it away from me.

His eyes were bright as he grinned down at my yelling son. “What do you mean?”

It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. About my dating comment. “Being a young shifter mom is a red flag for single guys around here. I’d have to look outside of Cub Lake, and I don’t have time right now.”

I closed the back door, and Reed snagged my hand before he towed me toward the house.

“You can’t hold my hand like this,” I said, though I loved feeling his rough fingers against mine.

“Why not?”

“Because we’re not together , Reed. You left me. Pregnant.”

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have left—but that’s not the point. The point is, you’re my mate. I won’t hold your hand if it makes you uncomfortable, but I consider us a pair.”

I sighed.

“Not to change the subject, but I feel obligated to admit that I have friends in town. I may have called in every favor and used every guilt-trip I possess to get information about you out of them while I packed your things,” he added.

I jerked my head toward him, eyebrows lifting. “You what ?”

“I asked them about you. I know you were puking daily through your pregnancy. That you opened the bookstore all of the women in town are obsessed with—and I’m proud of you for that, by the way. It fucking kills me that I wasn’t here to help you, but I’m here now. Just give me a chance.”

I followed him into the house, breathing in deeply and barely suppressing a groan. “You made pot roast?”

“Your favorite,” he agreed, flashing me a grin. “I didn’t need to ask anyone to know that. But I also heard that you don’t have time for cooking these days, and refuse to ask your mom and mine for any more help than they’re already giving.”

“I hate this town,” I said, walking to the kitchen quickly.

He laughed, carrying Parker’s car seat to the kitchen and setting it on the floor. The little guy was babbling and fighting against the restraints—I could hear him from where I was already pulling the lid off the crockpot.

“I can get Parker out while you eat, if you’re okay with it,” Reed said.

He would push my personal boundaries as much as he could without crossing a line, but he respected them when it came to my son. And I appreciated that, tremendously.

“Yep. Just put him down when you do—he’ll want to explore. Make sure you follow him closely. He doesn’t put everything in his mouth anymore, but sometimes the curiosity is too strong.”

I dished up a plate for myself and headed over to Parker’s high chair, cutting everything into little chunks and leaving it there to cool. It would be cold by the time he finally gave up on checking on the house, but he wouldn’t care.

Sitting down at the table, I watched as Reed sat on the floor next to Parker, who was babbling about his car and his ball. He’d found his toy bins on a shelf that used to hold books, beneath Reed’s TV.

My throat swelled as I watched them interact.

Parker babbled, not even slightly grumpy, despite my expectations.

Reed figured out he was saying ball and car , mashed up into ballcar . He asked Parker questions about the car and ball before they ended up playing a game of catch. Parker couldn’t catch at all—and kept his favorite car in his hand when he tried—but the little guy laughed and laughed as they threw the ball back and forth.

And the grin on Reed’s face?

It was devastating.

So ridiculously gorgeous.

It really wasn’t fair how pretty he was. How was I supposed to stop myself from being attracted to him when I watched him play catch with our toddler like that?

I didn’t even think it was possible.

Their game finally wound down twenty minutes later, and I told Parker it was time to eat. He took Reed’s hand insistently, and tugged him into the kitchen with him.

Adorable.

Freakin’ adorable.

I buckled Parker into his high chair, and he immediately started shoving the food into his mouth. The little guy was always hungry.

Watching him devour food always made me want another kid. As difficult as he was sometimes, and as awful as the pregnancy was, I would be willing to suffer for another baby. My son would love to have a little brother, and I’d have a blast watching them play together.

It wasn’t in the cards for me, of course.

Not if I had to do everything alone.

But with Reed there…

Well, if he stayed long enough, maybe I could think about bringing it up.

Reed couldn’t hide the grin on his face or the emotion in his eyes as he watched Parker eat.

“I should’ve been here,” he said.

It was one of the first things he’d said since he’d been back that I believed completely. The way he said it and the sound of his voice just made it so genuine, I couldn’t have denied it if I tried.

Emotion welled in my throat as I looked down at my food.

He should’ve been there.

But all of the signs were pointing to the fact that he would’ve been, if I told him.

“I should’ve told you,” I said quietly.

He set his hand on mine. “You were waiting for me to come back, and I should’ve at least checked in after I left. I don’t blame you for that—I get it. I was the one who left. All I can do is make it up to both of you now.”

Though I agreed with him, I could’ve texted or called him.

I could’ve sent him a picture of the pregnancy test.

I could’ve gone to the clan and set myself up with enough money to live comfortably.

The choices I’d made were mine as much as the choices he’d made were his.

And honestly?

It seemed like we’d both screwed up.

There was no going back, though. And no point in dwelling on what either of us had done wrong.

“You’re not leaving?” I asked him.

He shook his head, meeting my gaze. “We’re raising this kid together. In the same house. As a couple. I’m not walking away from either of you.”

I let out a long breath.

Honestly? I wanted that.

Badly.

Desperately .

But it was going to take time for me to trust him.

“Okay,” I said. “But we’re staying in separate rooms for now.”

“That’s fine. I’ll win you over again.”

Parker chose that moment to screech for more food. He’d devoured all the meat and carrots I’d given him, though there were still plenty of potatoes.

“Can I?” Reed asked me.

I nodded, biting back a smile as I watched him cut more food and interact with our son.

It was so stinking cute.

Giving Parker a bath was always an ordeal—he always shifted so he could splash and roll around like the little beast he was—but Reed got a kick out of it.

Bedtime took a lot longer than usual, but I didn’t mind. Reed was doing amazing with him, and considering we were in a new house, it made sense for him to have a hard time settling down.

By the time we finally left him in his crib and shut the door, I leaned against the wall, listening for the little guy.

I could still hear him playing in there, but as long as he wasn’t crying, he’d eventually fall asleep. If the tears started, it could take a long time.

“You’ve got to be exhausted, Wren.” Reed leaned against the wall on the other side of the door, studying me.

My lips curved upward slightly. “I’m always exhausted. I’ve just learned to ignore it.”

“You didn’t have a bed in your apartment,” he said.

“Everyone has to sacrifice sometimes.”

“Not you. Not anymore. You could quit the diner, and go to the clan in the morning. Every woman who has a baby with a bear shifter is entitled to the payout. You know it’s how we keep ourselves from going extinct. You don’t have to pay rent anymore, living here. Part of the payout can take care of the business loans for your store. The rest can pay for whatever else you guys need. I’d like to fund our life here—I’ve saved almost everything I made working security—but the clan’s money can help, if you’re not ready to accept that.”

I let out a long breath. “Lennie doesn’t have anyone else to work mornings.”

“Lennie has a clan of shifters that could step in until he can convince a high schooler to take over. He would understand. If he really had to, he could easily have customers come up to the register for their food.”

Reed wasn’t wrong.

And I’d wanted to quit working there so many times. To spend my mornings with Parker instead of at work every day. To sleep in now and then, and actually have a few minutes to relax.

And Lennie would rehire me in a heartbeat if I needed to come back after I quit. I knew that.

It was just a big decision to make.

“I’ll think about it,” I said.

He nodded.

Parker finally settled, and I let out a long breath. “I need to get to bed.”

“Yet you haven’t moved.”

“I always have a hard time going to sleep when he does. There are business things to do, and it’s the first time all day that I have a minute to myself.”

Reed’s lips curved upward. “First moment of freedom.”

“Yep. I have to shower at night, too. No time in the morning.”

“I won’t bother you, then. Unless you decide you need someone to help you wash up.”

I snorted. “I think I can handle it.”

His smile widened anyway. “The offer will always stand.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I put your stuff in the master bedroom, and moved mine to the office,” he said, as I headed for the extra bathroom. “It’s got a pull-down bed, so don’t worry about me.”

I frowned. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“This is your house now.”

“It’s not,” I said, but headed toward the master.

The shower was on and I’d taken off my clothes when the anxiety started to set in slowly.

It started with the memory of the last time I’d been in that bathroom alone.

The smile on my face.

The way I couldn’t stop touching the raised scar he’d left on my neck—the mark that told the world I was his.

How I’d stepped out of the bathroom with a bounce in my step and assumed the note I saw on the countertop was about him leaving to buy breakfast or something.

My happiness slowly draining away when I read the note.

Leaving his house alone, knowing that he cared enough to claim me… but not enough to stay.

I couldn’t let myself forget.

I couldn’t let him sweep me off my feet like that again.

For Parker’s sake, I had to be strong.

There was a knock on the bathroom door just before I stepped into the shower. “Is Parker okay?” I called out.

“Hasn’t made a peep. I just have a question,” he said.

I grabbed a towel off the hook next to me and wrapped it around myself before crossing the bathroom and pulling the door open.

Reed was leaning against the doorway, his hands braced on the frame above our heads. I tried not to suck in a breath at the sudden large, masculine presence, but failed.

His eyes moved slowly down my figure, his fingers digging into the wood above us as he took me in.

My body warmed under his attention, but I tried not to acknowledge it.

“What’s the question?” I asked, forcing the conversation back to the topic.

“Hmm?”

“You said you had a question.”

He cleared his throat, lifting his eyes back to mine. I tried not to let my gaze lower to the erection tenting his sweats. “Right. Sorry. It’s been a long fucking time since we were together, and you’re stunning.”

And he hadn’t been with anyone else, because he couldn’t.

I bit my lip, not sure what to say.

He cleared his throat again. “Sorry. Fuck. Sorry.” His lips curved in an apologetic grin. It made my body warm more, but after a moment, it faded. “I don’t actually have a question. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay in here. I’ve hated the way I left while you were showering since the moment I walked away, and I don’t want you worrying that I’ll do it again. I can sit with my back to the shower or something, if you’re okay with it.”

I stared at him for a moment.

A long, long moment.

I wanted to believe he cared. I wanted to believe he would stay.

Some part of me wanted to throw my arms around him and kiss him.

But the logical part of me was strong enough that I didn’t. I just nodded.

“I was thinking about that, actually.”

He slid his hand over my cheek, brushing his thumb over my cheekbone. My eyes fluttered closed.

“I’m sorry. Do you believe that , at least?”

“I don’t know. I want to.”

“That’s better than I hoped for.” He brushed a kiss to the tip of my nose. My lips quirked upward just a little.

“You can sit in the bathroom doorway, with your back to me,” I said.

“Thank you.” He kissed the tip of my nose again, then released me.

“Will you tell me about your pregnancy and the delivery while you shower?” he asked, walking with me to the bathroom and taking a seat on the ground.

My throat swelled.

Despite how difficult it had been, those were happy memories. Memories I’d shared with enough other women in town that it didn’t feel really intimate to tell the story again.

So, I spent the next half an hour talking while I scrubbed myself in his shifter-sized shower. Even after I was clean, I didn’t move to get out. He was listening closely and asking questions, like he always had in the past, which made me just want to keep talking to him.

But eventually, it was time to turn off the water.

He stayed where he was as I dried off and pulled on one of the old, massive t-shirts I wore to sleep, and as I brushed my hair.

When I finally headed to bed, he left me with a kiss to my forehead and another thank you before padding down the hall to his own room.

I texted my mom to let her know that Reed was going to take care of Parker in the morning before I got off work, so she would know she could sleep in. Then, I went to bed.

All night, I dreamed of the man I was starting to realize I might still be in love with.

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