Bearing Secrets Read online

  Turi looked back out at the water, trying to relax the anxiety that was charging the beast within. “I needed a bit of fresh air, she’s driving me crazy.”

  “She wants everything to be perfect. It’s the first time we’ll all be home since before Taber and Thorben claimed their mate. This is the first time she’ll meet her new daughter-in-law, Courtney. It’s understandable she’s on edge.”

  “You haven’t had to deal with her since the crack of dawn. She was over at my place banging on the window to get me up so I could help her,” Turi bitched.

  “Why’d she let me sleep?”

  “Dad and you didn’t get back until late from inland. She wanted to make sure you were well rested, so you wouldn’t be grumpy. That left me to be her service boy.” He’d never known a homecoming could be so exhausting. “If she needs anything else done, you’re her man, Trey.”

  “Nah, I think I’ll stay down here with you for a bit.” Trey strolled over, heaving a sigh as he took a seat next to him on the bench.

  Turi glanced toward Trey and noticed the deep lines across his forehead. Something was up with his easygoing brother. “What’s on your mind?”

  “We’re next…”

  “Don’t go there.” He shook his head not willing to think about it.

  “Seriously, Turi. Dad said he and his brothers found their mates in the order they were born. If the pattern holds, we’re next.”

  “I heard you the first time, you don’t need to repeat it,” he snapped. “Maybe it won’t be for a while.”

  “You mean because Travis would have been next if Taber hadn’t killed him to protect Kallie.” Trey leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, and met Turi’s gaze.

  Turi didn’t want to think about how their own brother had turned against them and went after Kallie for a payout. “It’s possible.”

  “We need to think about what is more likely…” He paused before glancing back at Turi. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s likely we’ll end up with the same mate. Just as Taber and Thorben did.”

  “You’re right. I don’t want to think about that.” Turi pushed off the bench and strolled farther down the dock. “It might work for them but for us…”

  “It won’t work,” Trey agreed.

  “No.” He ran his hand through his hair, sending the brown strands the wind had blown away from his face. “Let’s face it, Trey. We were never even able to share a toy growing up. How are we supposed to share a woman? We fight over the stupidest shit sometimes.”

  “I see you’re going to make this all my fault. It’s impossible to share with you, you’re possessive. That’s why we couldn’t share a mate.”

  “Me, possessive? Are you insane? That’s you.” Turi laughed at the irrational idea. “What about the fact you’ve never been able to finish a single thing you’ve started? You want to cruise through life like it owes you something. You’re not a teenager, yet you still do the things you know are bound to get under our parents’ skin.”

  “What about you? That shifter forum we were going to do, you didn’t stick with that. Nothing’s ever as important to you as rushing off the island to save the day with Dad or the Alaskan Tigers.”

  “You could have done it, I wasn’t stopping you. It was a good idea but when do I have the time?” Turi turned to face him. “There used to be time for everything I enjoyed. Instead, I’m stuck helping Dad and the others while you keep to yourself. This world doesn’t own you anything, Trey. If I’m supposed to share a mate with anyone I need it to be someone I can trust to keep her safe, someone I know will have my back through all the shit that’s coming. With this attitude of yours, it couldn’t be you.”

  “The forum was ours, it seemed wrong to do it without out you.” The disappointment sank Trey’s shoulders. “What do you plan to do about the mating, then? It’s not like it’s something we can change.”

  “Do my best not to find the one we’re destined to be with.” He had no other ideas how to avoid it, except to stay away from anyone who could possibly be meant for them. What Tad had said when they were protecting Courtney came back to him. Once you’ve found your destined mate, nothing can stop you from claiming her, not even the idea of sharing her with Trey.

  “Logically, she’ll fall into our laps. We should be ready.”

  “Ready?” Turi slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans to hide the anger that had balled them into fists. “Then maybe you should realize it’s time to do more for the sleuth than the bare minimum.”

  “I’ve been there whenever anyone needs me,” Trey defended.

  “Yeah, when someone calls you. If you inserted yourself more to the sleuth and shifter business…” Turi kick a stick off the dock, sending it into the water. “Forget it.”

  “No, say it. I’m a failure.”

  “You’re not a failure…” Turi shook his head. He never thought of his brother as a failure, just a slacker.

  “But?” Trey prodded.

  “You could do more. With Tabitha claiming her place as the Queen of the Tigers and the uneasiness that’s rippling through the shifter population, it’s a dangerous time for all of us, not just the tiger shifters.”

  “How did we get so wrapped up in the Alaskan Tigers’ drama?”

  “They came to help us when we needed it. Now we’re there for them. Plus with Taber, Thorben, and Tad all mated with tigers, how could we turn our backs on them even without our past?”

  “Family.” Trey nodded. “You’re right, I could do more.”

  “Then do it. With the others at the Alaskan Tigers’ compound, Dad and I could use all the help we can get.”

  “What can I do?”

  “Let’s see if you’re up for the challenge.” Turi joked. “Tad still blames himself for what happened to Rosemarie, and he does his best to keep away from Aunt Bev, but with the family gathering tonight it’s going to be hard. Can you help make sure things don’t get out of hand with them?”

  “You think there’s going to be problems?”

  Turi shrugged. “It’s possible, Aunt Bev has been through a lot. First Rosemarie killed by those trespassing hunters, and then she thought she lost John because he was with Travis the night he was killed.”

  “John’s a follower. He always respected Travis and when John thought he needed help, he followed. John never suspected Travis to betray his sleuth, and go after his brothers’ mate.”

  “It’s lucky John wised up or he’d be dead, and our sleuth would have lost two.” Turi’s lips curled up into a smile. “You realize this is the first time we’ve actually talked without bickering in months?”

  “Yeah, it might give Mom a heart attack,” Trey teased as he lowered himself back onto the bench. “We’ve had a few rough spots in the past, but we’ve got to find solid ground to build on. I know you’re against us sharing a mate, but if that’s our destiny then there’s nothing we can do about it. I want to find her. I’m tired of the single life.”

  “Let’s take this one step at a time. You start doing more for the sleuth and we’ll see about building what we once had.” Turi tipped his head back and looked up at the sky. “Sharing a mate won’t be easy.”

  “Nothing worth having is easy.” Trey turned on his heel and headed back toward the cabins.

  Turi stood there by the water, his thoughts in turmoil. There was more tension between him and his twin than there had been for years. It was sickening. They had never been as close as some twins, but they were brothers. Somehow he’d have to find the solid ground between them again. With a silent curse for being born a twin and destined to share a mate, he made his way back to the house. They had a family celebration to attend.

  Chapter Three

  As the helicopter came over the mountains and the Brown Island came into view, Ivy couldn’t stop herself from hating how her life had turned out. As a lone human surrounded by shifters, she had a poor idea of what normal life was like. And there was danger everywhere she turned. Despite t
his, she couldn’t separate herself from it. Not after the good she’d witnessed, the people she had met.

  “You’ll be safe here while we figure out what to do next.” Ty glanced back at her from the co-pilot’s chair. “The Brown family will protect you while we find your brother.”

  “I should be out there looking for him.”

  “You’ve been shot,” Ty reminded her as if the searing pain wasn’t a continual reminder. “You’re not a shifter and you need time to heal. This is no time for you to go traipsing through who-knows-what to find Chad. Let us worry about that.”

  “I know, but sitting around doing nothing isn’t my style.”

  “One of the brothers will have a laptop you can use and you can get back to your…stuff.”

  Stuff. She shook her head. “I was putting together a proposal of why there needs to be a group of shifters banding together to keep law and order. So that what happened in Ohio and Texas doesn’t repeat itself.”

  “That’s why Tabitha is taking her position as Queen of the Tigers.”

  She adjusted the microphone on the headset so she could be sure Ty heard her over the whipping of the helicopter. “I’m not just concerned with the tigers but with all shifters. It has to be happening across the board, in other breeds. I’m aware not all shifters live in groups like the tigers do, but there’re still problems for everyone. No group is spared from the rogue issues.”

  Ty nodded. “You’re right, but now I think we have all the problems we can manage. Give us time and we’ll move to a shifter-wide solution. We have to be able to show the other breeds we’ve made this work. It won’t happen overnight, but there’s a future with the shifters and humans living side by side. That’s what we’re all working toward.”

  “It’s what I thought my clan wanted too,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else as Adam brought the helicopter down.

  “The Alpha of the Arizona Tigers did want that.”

  “Do you think he’s dead?” She knew the Alpha well, but that wasn’t her reason for asking. If Mason was dead, it was likely her brother was as well, since he was the Captain of Mason’s guards. Damn him! I warned him against taking the position as an Elder guard. He couldn’t just be happy and live a quiet life. He always had to risk everything.

  Ty glanced back at her with sadness in his gaze. “It’s likely. The rogues would have gone after Mason first. Their first objection would have been to eliminate him. That doesn’t mean Chad is gone though.”

  It was nice he tried to put her mind at ease, but she knew the risks of his job. It would have been Chad’s responsibility to defend Mason to the death. The only way he’d have been able to get out of it, without being a traitor, was if there’d been a direct challenge to the Alpha to take over the clan. Even then, it couldn’t have been a challenge by a true rogue; it would have to be a lone shifter or one devoted to a clan. There was only a slim possibility Chad hadn’t been there when it happened. He could have been attending to something else when shit hit the fan. If he was alive, where was he? He’d have come after her; there wasn’t a chance he’d have left her to die if he could help it.

  She pushed the thoughts and tears away and stepped out of the helicopter. There would be plenty of other time to regret not seeing what was coming. Now that she thought about it, there had been little hints online that something bad could be coming to those clans who agreed to follow Tabitha in her one-ruler plan. Back then, Ivy hadn’t put the pieces together, and now it was too late. She couldn’t save anyone.

  “The Browns are celebrating…being together and the matings that have happened. In the world we live in, we must celebrate the little things,” Ty explained as she hesitated at the sound of loud music.

  “Then we shouldn’t be here…we shouldn’t intrude on this.” She took a step backward, her hand reaching out behind her for the helicopter.

  “This is the one place I know you’ll be safe. They’ll understand.” Ty took a few more steps and when he realized she wasn’t behind him, he paused. “Come along. This night isn’t getting younger, and there are things I need to attend to after this.”

  “I just imagine there are. Your job is never done.” She had learned long ago that the long hours Chad put in was only the surface of what an Alpha did.

  “What are you doing crashing our party?” A man in jeans and a sapphire blue dress shirt strolled toward them. As he came down the slight incline, the last remaining light sparkled over the sun kissed highlights of his light brown hair. He stood almost seven feet tall, every part of his body was toned and tight. Wow!

  “Turi.” Ty held out a hand to the other man. “I need to speak with Devon.”

  Turi took hold of Ty’s hand and nodded to Adam who had come around the helicopter to join them. “Dad’s at the party, is there something I can help you with?”

  Ty tipped his head in her direction. “This is Ivy. She needs somewhere safe to stay.”

  “Welcome, Ivy, to the Brown Island. I’m Turi. My father, Devon, is the Alpha of the Kodiak Bears.” He smiled at her before turning his attention back to Ty. “You know the sleuth is always willing to help, but we need to know the story. We can’t get into this without knowing what it’s about.”

  “Ivy was a member of the Arizona Tigers. There was an attack on her compound, dispensing the clan, and we fear she could be in danger. Those who weren’t killed turned rogue and joined Randolph’s ranks. We’re concerned because of her position within the clan and the project she was working on, that if Randolph finds out she’s alive he’ll seek to eliminate her. Having her here is the safest place while we find her brother,” Ty explained.

  Turi glanced between her and Ty. “She’s human.”

  “I’m right here. Could you please not speak like I’m an idiot who can’t understand you?” She couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. Taking a deep breath, she quickly ran down the answers of the questions she knew he would ask. “Yes, I’m human. It’s a long story. No, I wasn’t mated to anyone in the clan. My brother is a shifter and was the Captain of the Guards for the Alpha.”

  Turi’s eyes widened for a moment before he finally nodded. “My apologies. There’s a party going on, why don’t you join us? I’ll introduce you to the family.”

  “If you agree Ivy can stay here, then Adam and I need to return. I have a team following leads for Chad and the other Elders now, but we should get back.”

  “You think—” Turi stopped mid-sentence and glanced toward her.

  “Chad could be dead,” she finished tersely.

  “We don’t know, and until we do we’ll search for him or a clue he’s dead. He could have been hurt and found a safe place to wait and heal,” Ty explained before he leaned toward Turi and kept his voice low. “It’s unlikely, so try to keep her realistic.”

  “This is becoming ridiculous.” She stepped away from the helicopter and toward Ty. “I don’t have the spidery senses you guys do, so I have to rely on what I do. Since I have the hearing of a human, my lip reading skills are amazing.”

  The men turned to look at her, as if wondering where she was going with it. “I can read your lips. I know it’s unlikely he’s alive, but I know if anyone could survive it’s Chad. So please stop treating me like a child, don’t sugarcoat things, or leave me out of it because you think I can’t handle it.”

  “I forgot to mention…Ivy is a live wire.” Ty smirked. “She’s feisty and hates when you keep things from her.”

  “My family and I will keep her safe. Do you need help?”

  Ty shook his head. “Your mom has been waiting to have everyone here for some time, so we’re not going to break up the party. Tomorrow, if we need it, but not today.”

  Adam sat the suitcase on the ground next to Ivy. “It’s why we’re not coming to the party. Your brothers will know something is wrong if we show up.”

  “Then you should go.” Turi glanced back the way he came, as if looking for someone. “We heard the helicopter, so it won’t be long
before they come to see why I haven’t come back.”

  “Adam, get the helicopter started,” Ty ordered.

  “You’ll call if you have any news.” Ivy dragged her hand through her hair until she was able to get all the loose strands away from her face.

  “I’ll call when I have something to report.” Ty closed the distance between them and took her hand in his. “Don’t go nagging the Browns for an update. You’ll know when I have news.”

  “I won’t make any promises.” She glanced to the stud of a man, Turi. She had a feeling she was going to have more excitement here than in Arizona. “If I can get back to the project I was working on, it would give me something to keep me occupied, and maybe keep my mind off Chad.”

  “Turi, can you get Ivy a laptop to use while she’s here?” Ty asked over the whipping of the helicopter blades. “Hers was blown up.”

  “Sure, first thing tomorrow.” Turi reached down and grabbed the small suitcase Adam had set down. “If you’ll come with me, I’ll introduce you to the family.”

  “I’ll be in touch.” Ty told her just before he slipped into the helicopter next to Adam.

  She moved back from the helicopter, feeling as if she’d just been cut off from the rest of the world. Surrounded by strangers on an island was not her idea of a good time. She had always been so shy, and new people made her nervous. “Maybe if you’ll just show me to where I’ll be staying, you can get back to your party.”

  “Wouldn’t you like to come meet everyone? No one bites, I promise.”

  She shook her head, sending her blonde hair into her face again. “It’s a family event, I don’t want to intrude.”

  “You’re not. Plus I’m sure you’re hungry.”

  His mention of food won her over. “Okay, if you’re sure it’s all right,” she relented, following him. After all, she was a guest. She had to be friendly.

  “We won’t stay long and then I’ll get you settled so you can rest and heal.”

  “How…” She stopped in her tracks. “How did you know?”

  “I can smell the gun powder, the blood, and faint traces of the healing magic. With the way you are carrying yourself, gingerly, it was an easy deduction. Your wrist was broken too. One of the healers must have started the healing process, but you still need to take it easy while your body does the rest.”