My Bear to Heal (Cypress Valley Shifters #3)

7. Tyler

A ddie leaves the bedroom, and I stand there for a minute, urging my body to calm down. My heart beats wildly in my chest, coming to life like it always does when she’s near. The flesh on my neck tingles where her delicate fingers traced the tattooed skin.

An angry grizzly paces in my mind, muzzle curled back to show his ferocious teeth while he roars for more of her touch. “Yeah, me, too, man. Me, too,” I murmur.

She doesn’t usually touch me, not since I kissed her and she pushed me into the friend zone. I’m the one who initiates contact with her, trying to gauge if she’s ready for me to make another move. Whether it’s a friendly hug or casually holding hands.

Does this mean she’s willing to give me another shot? My heart picks up pace at the thought alone.

Fuck.

Me .

I wanted to back her up against the window and give in to my bear’s primal urges. To finally take what’s mine. But she pulled away too soon, a bewildered look in her steely eyes.

Did she regret touching me? Because I sure fucking didn’t regret it. I want more of her gentle touch… maybe some not so gentle touches, too.

Closing my eyes, I take a cleansing breath, hoping the oxygen will calm my system. But, instead, her alluring rose scent invades my lungs. I want more, but I don’t know if my heart is ready yet.

“Yo, Ty! You comin’, man?” Kiernan raps his knuckles on the door frame, drawing my attention.

I clear my throat before blowing out a breath, hoping he doesn’t sense anything out of the ordinary. “Just needed a second. Let’s go.”

When we get out to the truck, Addie is waiting in the passenger seat. Stopping dead in my tracks, I realize Kiernan’s monstrous truck doesn’t have a back seat. I’ll be squished up tight to my mate for the next hour while we drive back to Oak Ridge.

Damnit, I’m definitely gonna be hiding a boner again. Pretty much any time she touches me, my dick gets a mind of its own, standing to attention.

Opening the truck door, I plaster on a grin and make a shooing motion with my hand. “Scoot over, sweetheart. Unless you want to sit on my lap.”

Her cheeks flame as her delicate throat ripples with a swallow. “Oh, um, are you sure you’ll fit?”

“It’ll fit, darlin’.” I wink, falling back on my humor like always. If you play everything off as a joke, you can’t get hurt, right ?

Addie’s eyes snap to the floor as she scoots into the middle seat, fumbling for the seatbelt. I climb into the cab at the same time as Kiernan.

“Tight fit, huh?” he jokes, no doubt trying to lighten the awkward tension swirling in the air, thick enough you could cut it with a knife.

Kiernan starts the truck. It roars to life, and the radio blares AC/DC’s Back in Black. Soon enough, we’re all crooning along, the earlier tension between me and Addie totally forgotten.

With Addie directing us, Kiernan and I load her bed frame and mattress into the bed. Her dresser, nightstands, and a few final boxes get loaded in the bed of her old black truck.

Earl comes out as I’m loading the last box into Addie’s truck. She wraps her arms around his thick waist, hugging him tight. He leans down to whisper something in her ear as he returns the hug. Beautiful pink paints Addie’s cheeks at whatever her dad is saying; I can only imagine. Those two are as thick as thieves.

I know Addie dropped everything in Chicago the instant she found out about Earl’s health scare. Their relationship is something I admire and hope to have with my own children someday. My parents divorced when I was young, my dad moving on to a new wife and new family, forgetting all about me.

Sure, he’d send a yearly birthday card with twenty bucks inside until I turned eighteen, but other than that, he wasn’t involved in my life. My mom worked herself to the bone in order to provide for me.

Now that she’s an empty nester, she’s slowed down and lives in a southern suburb of Minnesota with her boyfriend, Pete. Thoughts of my mom remind me that I need to call her soon. We usually check in with each other on a weekly basis, but she’s been on a much deserved tropical cruise for the past week.

A rough hand clasps onto my shoulder, startling me. I turn to find Kiernan’s whiskey gaze locked on Addie and Earl, a wistful smile on his face. “Think he’ll be okay?”

“The real question is, will she? Addie’s having a hard time letting go and moving on, but hopefully this is for the best. It’s not like he’s going anywhere. I’m sure he’ll still make his weekly deliveries.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I’m gonna head back. You riding with your girl, or me?” He flashes me a cocky grin.

Asshole.

Pretty sure he knows Addie is my fated mate, but hasn’t said anything, which I appreciate. I can handle the joking and teasing, but I don’t know if I’m ready to face my feelings head-on yet.

“I’ll ride with my friend , Addie.”

Backing toward his truck, he throws his hands up in surrender. “My mistake. Maybe you’ll pull your head outta your ass some day and change that.” His chuckle floats in my direction as he turns and hurries into his truck, peeling out of the driveway before I can catch him.

Tucking my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I stroll toward Addie and Earl as they break their embrace.

Earl extends a palm to me. I immediately grip his hand and give it a firm shake. “Take care of my little girl, alright, son?”

“Yes, sir.” I’d never let anything happen to her .

Once I let go of his hand, Addie gives him one last lingering hug before turning toward me. “Ready?” I ask, holding out my hand.

She nods, giving me a small, somewhat sad smile before sliding her fingers against mine. “Ready.”

“ I can’t believe I’m letting you drive my truck. My baby. No one drives her but me and Dad.” She huffs and crosses her arms, pushing those mouthwatering tits together.

Fuck . I nearly drown in the absurd amount of saliva pooling in my mouth. Before the tires can hit the rumble strips on the side of the highway, I veer the steering wheel to the right, keeping us on the road, while I peel my eyes away from her cleavage.

“I didn’t really give you a choice.” It’s the truth. I plucked the keys from her hand and hopped in the driver’s seat before she could so much as blink.

“You’re gonna mess up all my seat adjustments with your stupid long legs. I had everything set perfectly before you came along and ruined it.” She waves a hand at my legs, stretched out toward the pedals. I love the snark in her voice, the sassy spark in her eyes. This is my Addie.

“I could always help you get the seat in the perfect spot again later.” I waggle my brows at her and her cheeks flush. Damn, she’s beautiful.

Done teasing her, I admit my real motives behind stealing her keys. “It was making this weird thunking noise when you left my place the other day. I wanted to drive it for myself and make sure everything was okay. Gotta make sure my favorite person is safe.”

“Awww,” she croons, batting her thick lashes. “I’m your favorite person. You really need more friends.” Her soft laughter at her own joke fills the cab and I roll my eyes, but my mouth stretches into a smile. This easy back and forth with her is one of my favorite things about our relationship.

“Nah, I like to keep my circle small. Only the people who really matter.” I stop, swallowing the lump clogging my throat. “Only the people I know would help me through anything.”

“You know I’d do anything for you. Thanks, Ty. So… what’s the verdict?” Biting her lip, no doubt to hold back a smirk, she runs a hand over the dash, lightening the mood.

“All good, darlin’. Must have been something on the road and not your truck.”

She smiles again before she turns on the radio at a low volume and her eyes flit to the passenger window, comfortable silence stretching between us. But when she sighs, I know there’s something else on her mind.

“Want to talk about it?” I ask, coaxing her to open up.

“I’m worried about him.”

“Your dad?”

Addie nods. “What if he doesn’t remember to take his heart medication, Ty? He could have another heart attack. It could be worse this time.”

Pulling the truck to the shoulder so I can give her my full attention, I flip on the hazard warning lights before turning to face her. Stormy eyes well with unshed tears .

“Come here.” Reaching across to unbuckle her seatbelt, I don’t give her a chance to argue and pull her across the bench seat.

In a rare show of vulnerability, she nuzzles her nose against my neck, inhaling against my skin. My hands automatically begin rubbing soothing circles against her back.

She’s been through so much in life. Losing her mom as a teen and almost losing her dad. She’s so strong, but I want her to know it’s okay to be vulnerable with me. “I know you’re scared, Addie. I know you love him and don’t want anything to happen, but he’s healthy, right? And he wants you to start living your life for you , not him.”

My lips brush against the soft curls of her hair as I speak. The intoxicating rose scent wafting around us until it’s all I can smell. It’s almost dizzying. She sniffles and buries her face further against my neck, my skin heats under each breath she expels from her lungs. “What if he forgets his meds, though?”

Closing my eyes, I soak in the weight of her in my arms. Her small hands clutched in my t-shirt like she’s anchoring herself to me. The rise and fall of her back as I gently stroke my palms over her.

It’s everything I want.

She fits me so perfectly. Soft curves against all of my hard muscles.

A quiet purr rumbles from my chest as I hug her tight to me.

“Do you want to know a secret?” I whisper against her hair.

She pulls back, red-rimmed eyes meeting mine. I swipe a thumb under her bottom lashes, catching a stray tear. “What?” Delicate brows scrunch, confusion marring her beautiful face .

My hand slides down to rest against the side of her neck, where her pulse flutters wildly under the pale skin. I memorize the rhythm because who knows when she’ll let me touch her like this again. “This morning, while you were packing, I put an alarm on his phone. To remind him to take his pills every day.”

Now her brows shoot up as a gasp spills from her mouth. “You did?”

I nod, smiling down at her. “I did. You were busy in your room. Earl and I were talking, and the idea popped into my head. I thought it might give both of you some peace of mind.”

She sniffles and blinks away the remaining tears. “Thank you, Ty. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she says in a soft voice. The voice that haunts my dreams every damn night.

“Lucky for you, I’m not going anywhere, so you’ll never have to find out.” I boop her nose before squeezing her into a tight hug. Her lush curves melt against me for a second, then she stiffens. And I know my time is up… back to the friend zone. My bear whines in my ear— I know, man.

Clearing her throat, she slides back across the seat and buckles herself in again. “Thanks, Ty. I feel better now.”

“No problem, Addie.” I wink and shift the truck back into drive, heading toward home.

“ I ’m stuffed,” Kiernan groans, patting his still flat abdomen before setting his paper plate on the coffee table. After our heart-to-heart, Addie and I made it back to Cypress Valley to find Kiernan and Reese already unloading the bed and mattress. Wren and Sydney were still fawning over Gertie and the chicks on the front porch.

It took us a few hours to get the main furniture in place and all the boxes unloaded. Shifters have high stamina, but I’ll admit, I’m exhausted from all the driving back and forth between here and Oak Ridge. Most days, I spend my time tending to the plants in the greenhouse or the small plot we have for larger plants. My body needs physical labor, so all the sitting in the truck today has left my mind tired, while my body is pent-up with unused energy.

Not to mention the grizzly pacing in my head, yearning to be close to his mate.

My leg bounces as I take a swig from my beer bottle. It’s no whiskey, but the cold, hoppy liquid does quench my thirst.

With my free hand, I scratch the soft gray fur between Gertie’s ears. She snores softly on my lap, oblivious to the room full of people surrounding her.

Even the chicks are quietly sleeping in their temporary cardboard home, now in the corner of the living room.

“Thanks for all of your help today.” Addie’s soft voice echoes through the small living room.

“Not a problem. Welcome to our dysfunctional pack of misfits,” Reese says, a rare smile pulling at one corner of his mouth. Sydney snuggles close to his side on the couch, stifling a yawn as she rests her head against his shoulder.

Kiernan sits on the other end of the couch, Wren resting her back against his legs from her seat on the floor. Everyone is coupled off… except me and Addie. I’m the odd man out, sitting on a chair I dragged over from the small kitchen table.

“We want you here, Addie. So, if you need anything, just ask,” Wren says, ever the mother hen of the pack. She has a calm and caring nature to her, probably why we became close friends when she first came here a year ago. “Kier Bear, we should probably go check on those rowdy boys before we head home.”

“Take them some pizza, too,” Addie chimes in. “I know they don’t like to be around a lot of people at once, but they should still enjoy Sydney’s cooking.” She stands from the couch, going to the kitchen to pack some leftovers on a plate for Will and Benny.

The teenage brothers have been here for a little over a year, but they are still having some trouble adjusting to shifter life. Until recently, Will preferred to stay in bear form most of the time. He’s most comfortable in human form around Wren, Sydney, and Addie. Hopefully, her continued presence here will be good for both boys.

Kiernan finishes his beer before standing from the couch to follow his mate, Wren. “I’ll meet you tomorrow at the creek,” he says to Reese, extending a fist to the grumpy alpha. Reluctantly, Reese knocks knuckles with Kiernan.

“Dumbest gesture ever,” Reese grumbles under his breath. “We should head out, too, Angel. You look like you’re half asleep already, and I’m not carrying you home.”

Sleepy blue eyes blink open to glare at her mate. I chuckle softly at their interaction, knowing she’s about to put him in his place .

“If you don’t carry me, I guess I’ll just sleep here. This couch is very comfortable. And I bet Addie doesn’t even snore.”

“I do not snore, you little brat,” Reese retorts, standing from the couch and crossing his thick arms over his chest as he glares at his feisty mate.

“Mhm. Did you hide a chainsaw in the closet, then?” Sydney pops to a stand, tiny fists balled on her narrow hips. I admire her courage, facing off against a bear shifter, who’s easily twice her size, without batting an eye.

Taking her by surprise, Reese bends down, swinging her small body over his broad shoulder like a caveman. “Keep it up, Angel. Just wait until we get home.”

She squeals as his open palm lands on her ass. The noise soon turns to giggles as he stomps out of the cabin.

“Well, that was something,” Addie says from her spot in the kitchen.

“They’re newly mated.” I shrug before continuing, “It’s pretty normal for fated mates to be insatiable when they finally claim each other.”

Assessing gray eyes search my face. “Do you think you’ll ever have a fated mate?”

Fuck.

I rub a hand over the back of my neck, dropping my gaze to the floor. “Someday. I hope,” I respond in a quiet voice.

Suddenly, I realize it’s just the two of us. Awkward silence hangs in the air. When did things become so tense between us?

After the botched kiss debacle, we’ve managed to slip into an easy friendship. Yes, sometimes it’s like we’re tiptoeing around our obvious attraction, but I usually make a joke and we move on. Ever since she touched my neck earlier today, it’s like she’s nervous around me.

“Let me help you clean up before I head out,” I offer. Placing a sleeping Gertie on the couch, I carry my chair back to its place at the kitchen table. Turning around, my eyes glue to her ass as she bends over to pick up the rest of the paper plates. Damn. The impression of each round cheek is perfect through the black leggings she has on.

She straightens to a stand and the flesh jiggles slightly.

As discreetly as possible, I adjust the thickening erection in my pants before joining her in the living room to clean up.

“Thanks again for all of your help today. You’re a really great friend.” There’s sincerity in her tone, mixed with something I can’t quite decipher.

Friend.

The word hits like an arrow straight through my heart. Is that all I am to her? A buddy? A pal?

I cough, picking up an empty beer bottle and throwing it in the recycling bin. “Of course. That’s what friends are for.” I wince. Friends… that fucking word again; it’s like ash on my tongue. I want to call her mine .

My mate.

My healing balm.

Not my fucking friend.

“Are you okay, Ty? You seem a little off tonight. You were quiet at dinner. Usually, you piss Reese off to no end with your jokes.” Worry shimmers in her eyes as she comes to stand in front of me .

“I’m fine, just tired. It’s been a long day.” The lie rolls easily off my tongue. Now that she’s here, in front of me, I clam up, unable to admit I’m in love with her.

Her mouth curves into a weak smile. “If you say so. Come find me in the morning, okay? I want to get Benny and Will helping with the chickens. I think it would be good for them to have some responsibility and take care of something. It’ll be good for them to contribute to the community.”

“Sure,” I say, distracted by the endless pools of silver and navy in her eyes.

Eyes I’m sure I’ll be seeing in my dreams as soon as my head hits the pillow tonight.

I’m so fucked.

Before I can overthink my actions, I bend slightly and place a gentle kiss on her forehead. My lips caress the smooth skin as I whisper, “Goodnight, sweet rose.”

A shiver rushes through her.

“Goodnight, Ty.” Her quiet words barely reach my ears as I grab Gertie and close the cabin door behind me.