5. Emrie

As soon as my tires hit Clan property, I breathed a sigh of relief. As much as I loved Roarke, there was always this underlying sense of anxiety being off Clan property that I only ever realized had been there because of the relief I felt when I hit the Clan's borders again.

I nodded at the sentries I passed as they patrolled our property in their bear forms, and hilariously, most of them stood up and waved at me. Most people would never see a bear on hind legs waving a huge paw in greeting, but if they did, I bet they wouldn't find it funny. I mean, I got it, bears could be really scary, but these guys were my family, and I loved my family. There was a sense of safety here, and a sense of peace that I'd never been able to find anywhere else.

I had a thought and called Roarke.

"Emrie."

Oh, his voice did that warm chocolatey melty thing again to my stomach.

"Random question," I said. "Would you ever consider moving onto Clan property?"

He was quiet for so long that I glanced over at my phone holder on my dash and checked to see that we were still connected.

We were.

"Where is this coming from?"

I couldn't get a read on his voice. He sounded...emotional? But I was probably reading him wrong.

"I was just thinking...it would be great if you were closer."

He was quiet for another minute, and I could practically hear the leaps his brain was making. Without the need for any other clarifying questions he said, "I would move for you, Emrie. But Riggs might not want a dragon shifter on his property. It would create problems for his bear."

"Because you're more alpha?"

"Yes."

For the millionth time I wished Roarke and I were mates. If we were mates, Riggs' bear would consider Roarke Clan, and if Roarke submitted to Riggs being the Clan leader, then everything would be okay and there would be zero issues.

Roarke spoke my silent thoughts out loud. "It would be different if we were mates," he said gently.

But we weren't.

Roarke was too kind to me to say that out loud. Still, it felt like a punch to my chest, and my eyes teared up, the tears spilling over and blurring my vision.

I cleared my throat, but it still felt incredibly tight. "Yeah," I agreed.

We said our goodbyes and suddenly all I wanted was to be around my Clan. I didn't want to go back to my lonely house with its silent, empty rooms. I wanted laughter and craziness and my brothers and their mates, if they were around. I wanted to watch a hockey game and eat game-day food. I wanted to cuddle Kona, wherever he was. Also, I should probably talk to my alpha at some point about the commission offer from King Draven and Consort Mia.

I pulled my SUV into the parking lot to the side of the main lodge, and locked it up tight, even though it would be safe from thieves on Clan property. Still, you never knew when Taco would get some hair-brained idea, so having it locked was safer. There were a dozen other trucks and SUVs parked around mine, and a few compact cars the size of little itty bitty clown cars. Those were probably mate cars. Bears drove larger vehicles.

I entered the lodge and just about cried, and then scoffed at myself. I was being a very emotional bear. The first thing that hit me was the smell of food cooking in the kitchen, and the second thing was my Clan, including Kona, scattered all over the couches and recliners in the living room, arguing about the game. They all cheered when I came in, and it was a huge wall of noise.

"Emrie!"

I laughed, wiping away the tears. My brothers were awesome.

I waved them down and went to see what was cooking. It smelled like Mexican food, and Mexican food was pure comfort food for me.

Sullivan was moving around the kitchen purposefully, plating what looked like steak quesadillas.

"Oh my gosh, Sullivan, those smell divine."

He nodded, thanking me in his quiet way. It looked like he'd made chicken tostadas, steak quesadillas, a seven-layer dip, gargantuan, restaurant-sized bags of chips, tacos, and warm horchata: an amazing drink that tasted like smooth and creamy cinnamon. It was one of the only non-water drinks I liked. I picked up a few trays to take out to the banquet table that was in the living room, beside the couches, and found several of my Clan poking their heads into the kitchen.

Gah, I should have known they'd notice the tears when I came in. Because I was an expert avoider, I said, "Who wants game-day food?" Taco cheered and came to help grab some of the food trays, while Mathan and Alpha Riggs gave me looks that told me we would be discussing why I'd been crying later. So, I had that to look forward to. Lovely. Alpha gently took one of my trays, and Mathan grabbed the other.

"Guys, I can carry stuff," I protested.

They ignored me.

I laughed and shook my head, turning back to the counter to find Sullivan adding cream cheese, shredded cheese, jalapeno slices, and a dry Ranch mix packet into a large bowl. "They can sense your sadness, Emrie," he said in his gravelly voice. "Even without being able to smell it."

I sighed as my chin sank to my chest, and I closed my eyes. I needed to get it together before I went back out there. Taco came back in, his grey eyes sparkling mischievously. He gave me a one-armed hug as he attempted to load up on as many goodies as he could, then tugged me out with him to the couch.

The guys made space for me right on the middle-ish seat of the couch. Taco gently nudged me down onto the cushion while the rest of them piled onto the seats all around me. We had one of those huge L-shaped couches that was supposed to seat a whole football team, but barely sat five bear shifters. The other three in the room just used the La-Z-Boy chairs. Riggs handed me Kona, who settled around my shoulders in a koala bear hug.

Even though I felt scrunched in on all sides by large males, I never once wished I was sitting by myself in a recliner. I was finally able to take a deep breath. My chest felt loose, and despite the loud squawking of the massive TV on the wall, I completely relaxed. I hummed and took a sip of my horchata. It was still warm and delicious.

No one asked me anything about why I was sad. I knew I'd likely have that conversation later because my Clan was nosy, but they were giving me time without the twenty questions, and I was grateful.

It looked like we were watching the Penguins vs. Blue Jackets game that had aired last Sunday. None of us had watched it yet; we always tended to get together on Monday afternoons and make a Clan event out of it. At least, those Clan members in this little group I loved so much did.

Mateo's warm hazel eyes held questions for me, but I just shook my head. He nodded like he understood my need to just veg right then and passed me two warm steak quesadillas on a plate loaded with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole to dip it in.

"Thank you," I whispered. He smiled his typical half-smile and nodded.

The rest of the game, the guys didn't mention a thing. They even kept their victory shouting a little quieter so they didn't blast out my ear drums. Food kept getting passed to me by every single person in the room. By the time the Penguins won the game 5 to 2 at the end of the third period, and we all celebrated—most of us were Penguins fans—I was so full I felt like I was going to burst, but my sadness had lifted a bit.

Eating comfort food and hanging out with your bear Clan to alleviate sadness? Ten out of ten, would recommend.

We all decided to do a bear ramble after to work off the massive amounts of food we'd all eaten. I changed in the changing room; a spacious, comfy room off the side of the lodge that my alpha had hired someone to build for me. When I was done, I pushed my brown snout through the thick curtain that walled off my changing space and exited. I could turn a door handle in my bear form, but it wasn't easy.

Bears sort of lumbered when we walked. When we ran it was a whole different story, but when we walked, we had this exaggerated sway. It was kinda funny when you looked at it in your human form, but as a bear, it was no big deal. Our human selves and bear selves became one in bear form, but I was always more chill with the world as a bear than I was in human form. This wasn't true for all of my Clan, however.

My Clan gathered around me in their different bear forms, and we all followed Mateo as he set the pace. Mateo was a black bear like me, but we were very different sizes. He was about 400 pounds to my diminutive 175. And, while I was a cinnamon-brown color variation black bear, he was all black, from his nose to his claws.

Alpha took up the rear, like he always did. His massive polar bear form was highly visible and stark white as we made our way through the trees to the river that ran through our Clan property. Snow crunched beneath our heavy paws, and our hot bear breath made clouds of fog as we moved through the forest.

One of my favorite things about our Clan property was that water basically surrounded us on all sides. The ocean was through the trees to the left. To the right, there were several streams, which poured into the main river, which flowed at the back of our property, and there was another river that ran by the property entrance.

And there were trees everywhere.

It was idyllic and peaceful, and it gave our bear forms plenty of space to stretch out in. There was even a set of waterfalls and a lake for swimming. As a Clan we tended to use those to swim in, bear-style. They were large enough to accommodate even the largest of us—cough, cough, Alpha Riggs—and they provided enough water depth for us to actually swim.

Right now, in late January, they were frigidly cold, and that was if you could even get to the water. Most of it was frozen over, except the areas with the fastest moving currents.

I was surrounded on all sides by my Clan—they usually kept me in the middle on bear rambles—but instead of feeling hemmed in by the testosterone all around me, I felt safe.

But I knew that feeling was about to disappear quickly.

Emrie? You want to talk about it?The question came from Mateo, who'd dropped back to walk beside me.

I sighed. Alpha? Are you in on this conversation as well?

Yes, but I've isolated just us three, he said.

Okay. Well, I guess I should first tell you, Alpha, that King Draven and Consort Mia have asked me to create and design their library space. The project, if I accept, would take about a year's time for me to complete.

I felt my alpha's pride in my work and his warm approval even before he said, I've already given my permission for the project, if that's something you were worried about, Emrie. King Draven called. Normally it wouldn't be that big of a deal, but he knew the project would be lengthy, and he just wanted to make sure you weren't needed elsewhere for Clan buildings and such.

You did say that we needed more housing.

My alpha laughed. It sounded like his bear was choking. We do. But remember, I'm using the firm in Moonhaven for that for right now. You need to finish your degree first.

Dumb degrees. I already knew what I was doing. I loved that I had the ability to get an education—many didn't—but I did feel like it was a little bit superfluous because I already had the skills needed. But I needed the degree for legal purposes, so I persevered.

Will my help be needed at all on those builds?

My alpha rumbled thoughtfully as we crossed a small stream. Taco lunged at a fish, scooping it up and batting it around before he let it go back into the water. I felt the pressure in my head of another conversation happening—probably someone telling Taco to quit playing with his food—but I couldn't hear it because my alpha was keeping us isolated from the Clan.

I think they'd be happy to have your help, Emrie, but if you accept the King Draven project, I don't think it would be wise. I worry you'll stretch yourself too thin. It's of course up to you, though.

I thought about it as I lapped up some water at the stream. Akeno's small sun bear form darted behind and between the other bears. Aside from the cub shifters, he was the smallest of the bear Clan. He was agile and quick, and before Taco could blink, he had stolen Taco's fish. Taco grumbled and took a swipe at him, but Akeno darted back just in time, turned around, and wiggled his butt at Taco's face.

I started cracking up. My Clan was more like family, and that included a whole lot of brotherly love and teasing.

I cheered Akeno on as he clutched the fish in his mouth and climbed a tree. Taco could climb, but it would take him so long that Akeno would already be finished with the fish. Taco smacked a paw against the tree Akeno was sitting in the branches of, rumbled at him, and then, huffing and snorting, made his way back to the stream for another fish.

I felt the pressure of their conversation again in my mind, but couldn't hear it.

I laughed and shook my massive head. Please tell me Akeno's done with the fish.

He is,Mateo said, laughter in his voice. He's behind the alpha right now, hiding.

I smiled, then saw myself in a still patch of water. Bear smiles. Not. Pretty.

As we continued on from the stream, Mateo took the spot to my right again, and Alpha Riggs followed behind us, keeping an eye on our area, looking for potential danger to his Clan.

Do you want to talk about why you were sad today? Mateo asked.

It's...embarrassing.

I can tell you a couple of my most embarrassing moments if that would help even the score a bit?

I nudged him in the side with my head. You don't have any. I've heard females talking about you. I shook my head in disgust. I have to listen to them talk about all of you. Endlessly.

Even me? My alpha sounded startled that females were talking about him.

I craned my head back to look at him. They're the worst with you. They're afraid of you, because of your alpha power, but it's also what draws them to you.

Mateo laughed. Poor Emrie, having to listen to females going on about her brothers all the time, and poor alpha! You have a fan club!

An extensive fan club, I said, grumbling.

I could tell my alpha was dumfounded. Why are you so surprised? You're a handsome bear shifter, and you're a wonderful alpha.

You better stop, Emrie, or you're going to make him blush, Mateo said.

It would have been lovely if one of you was my mate, I said in a small voice.

Then I wouldn't be in this mess with my best friend. I cringed in embarrassment. I wouldn't let it mess anything up with Roarke, but I really hated how easy I was to read. It made me feel like all of my feelings and thoughts were just out there for everyone to see. As a person with sometimes severe anxiety, this did not give me comfort. I grumbled as I stood on my hind legs and backed into a tree, using it to scratch my back. Aaah, that's the sweet spot. I snorted out a sneeze when the pine needles fell on my face, tickling my nose.

A few of my Clan did the same with the surrounding trees. I was always really picky about my back-scratching trees. There was nothing worse than sticky sap that stuck to your fur. And then when I changed back to my human form, I ended up with sap, leaves, and dirt stuck so firmly to me that not even a regular shower could get me clean. I had to use a special soap and a heavy duty scrubber, which killed my sensitive skin.

I nibbled on some peppermint stems buried under some frost. The leaves were long gone, but the stems still had a lot of mint flavoring to them, and I loved nibbling on them in bear form.

The truth is, Emrie, we don't really know that we aren't your mate, Alpha Riggs said.

What now? Mateo said, sounding completely shocked.

Emrie has a rare genetic mutation that makes her natural pheromones scentless, you know that Mateo. But because of that, technically, she could be any one of our mates.

I chuffed a laugh. Mateo's bear face looked so shocked I could have probably knocked him over with a leaf. I thought you were aware of this already, Alpha Riggs told him.

Mateo shook his massive head. Nope, I hadn't put that last bit together.

You're getting soft, old man, I teased.

He grumbled good-naturedly. I've been finding dates for my potential mate. I feel really stupid right now.

Alpha Riggs laughed at him. I've been wondering why you guys keep finding her dates.

Well I'm going to stop now!

We all laughed. Spread the word, please, Mateo?

You got it.

I sighed again. You know there's no way to really tell.

Remember what I said, Emrie, Alpha Riggs said. Don't give up hope.

I nodded. Was it giving up hope when you had very little to begin with?

We started heading back to the lodge, and I laughed at my Clan's antics even though my heart was still heavy.

You never explained why you're sad, Emrie, Mateo said gently.

Can this stay between you and Alpha Riggs?

Both of them consented that it would only stay between us three.

I love Roarke, I said in a small, pained voice.

Both Mateo and my alpha moved closer to me and nudged me with their heads for comfort. The rest of the Clan, even though they didn't understand why, also moved in and nudged me with their heads, and moved so they were fur on fur to my sides. I took comfort in my Clan as I rested my bear chin on Mateo's side, Akeno's whole body rested between my front paws, Mathan had a nose to my side, and Taco was leaning on me like he was the great tower of Pisa and I was the scaffolding holding him up.

I didn't want to lose my family, ever, but I also really wanted a family of my own. And I wanted one with Roarke. But I couldn't do that to him. He had a responsibility to his kind to continue his species. There were so few left that the loss of a single dragon shifter would be devastating.

Mateo and Alpha Riggs seemed to understand that, going by the emotional scents wafting from them. I was picking up scents of pain, compassion, and understanding, with bottom notes of determination and protectiveness from both of them.

We got backto the lodge and I changed in my outside changing room. Luckily, it had a shower for me to scrub the dirt of the forest off of me. I brushed my long hair out, and wound it on top of my head in a messy, wet bun, then brushed my teeth. When I was presentable, I waved goodbye to my Clan from the doorway and made my way back to my house, feeling a little better. Clan rambles were always good for my spirits.

When I pulled up to my driveway, Roarke's black truck was there. He was leaning against the closed truck door with his arms crossed over his chest, and an expression on his face I'd never seen before. As I pulled up, he straightened, and came around to my side to open my door.

I stepped out. "Is everything okay?" I asked, looking up at him. I mean, I'd just seen him a few hours ago, and we'd said goodnight to each other.

His azure-opal eyes gazed at me with heavy intensity, and he was giving off a confusing mix of scents: frustration, sadness, anger, and an underlying scent of something I couldn't quite pin down.

He ran a hand through his short hair and shook his head. "I didn't like where we left things. I wondered...can I come in? So we can talk?"

I didn't really want to talk about it. Not at all. But I knew that we probably should talk, soIsighed and went to unlock my door.

Only, my door was already unlocked.

It was opened a tiny crack, letting the scent of someone other and not known seep through. My heart thumped against my ribcage painfully, and my hands shook on the doorknob. Someone had been in my house! Someone was possibly still in my house!

Roarke, picking up on my distress and the foreign scent at the same time, went completely rigid in fury and protectiveness. The alpha power started rolling off of him so intensely that my senses were singed by it.

We did the whole conversation with our eyes thing we sometimes did. He motioned for me to wait outside while he went in to take a look around, but I didn't want to wait alone. Hadn't he seen any scary movies? This was how the dumb girl always died! She was left alone! I mean, I knew I was a bear shifter, but come on! It was just common sense.

Roarke's whole face softened for a moment at what I'm sure was a very terrified Emrie face looking back at him, and then he nodded for me to follow him. I latched onto the back of his tee shirt with a gorilla grip and followed him into my dark house.

When we stepped into the entryway, he used hand motions to ask me to wait by the front door while he checked the rooms on the ground floor. I reluctantly grimaced and agreed. I didn't want to be left outside, but I could stay by the door and keep out of his way.

Roarke sniffed around using his alpha shifter senses. I could smell someone had been here, and recently, but I couldn't tell how recently. A strong alpha's senses were next level compared to the rest of us.

I contacted my own alpha with a trembling voice. Alpha, someone's broken into my home.

We'll be right there,he said, his voice taught with anger. Some of the sentries caught the scent and tracked it to your house. They just informed me and we're already on our way.

Roarke's here. He's checking around. He's, umm, in alpha dragon mode. I had to warm my alpha as a courtesy. Most of the time Alpha Riggs and Roarke rubbed along fine, but when Roarke butted in on what my alpha considered his job to care for his Clan, especially with an unmated female, things could get sticky.

Understood. I'll be considerate.

Well, I could only hope Roarke would be as well. He could get a little protective...

Just as Roarke went into my mudroom, and just as I was starting to feel the edge of Alpha Riggs' power on the periphery of my senses, something large dropped from the ceiling and toppled me, elbowing me sharply in the face. I cried out as my head smashed against the wood floor and the blur dressed in dark clothing took a vicious swipe at my neck and then bolted out my open front door.

Simultaneously I could hear Roarke and my alpha roar, while the rest of my Clan made angry roaring and growling bear noises. Roarke was just in the next room, but my Clan and alpha sounded really close by.

My ears were ringing, my head was pounding, and I felt so nauseous I almost threw up. I came up onto my elbows, groaning and gently feeling the back of my head for blood, when I saw Roarke stagger in the doorway of my mudroom. He clung to the doorpost, hunched over and breathing heavily.

For a moment I thought a second intruder had hit him from behind. But there was no one behind him. He lifted his head and his eyes blazed fire-red as he looked at me. And I would swear in a court of law that it was like his whole body turned into an Emrie seeking Roarke missile. His scent turned molten and smoky with a sweet bottom note that I'd never smelled before..

He took a huge breath in through both his nose and his mouth and made a broken sound, like the whine of an animal in exquisite pain. I was already freaking out about the intruder, but when Roarke released the wall and staggered toward me, still looking and moving like he was reeling, my level of panic reached new, soaring heights.

Had he been attacked while he'd been in the mudroom? I hadn't heard anything because I'd been dealing with the intruder dropping in on me, so it was possible.

Even though my skull felt like it was splitting, I tried to sit up to help Roarke, but the world spun and I almost puked, so I closed my eyes and concentrated on breathing through my nose until the nausea subsided.

Roarke staggered closer and gently picked me up off the floor. His control over his dragon fire was so insanely good that he'd already cooled his skin temperature down to a level I'd be comfortable with as he folded me in against his chest and wrapped his arms around me.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently, his voice like gravel.

I nodded against his chest and felt it shudder once beneath my cheek. I didn't know what was wrong with him, but I knew it had to be significant for him to act this way. Roarke was a supernatural with an insane amount of control. From his body language, he looked stunned, and there was a look in his eyes of intense sorrow layered with incomprehensible joy. I'd never seen that expression in someone's eyes before, and I had the feeling I never would again.

Roarke gently rubbed the back of my head where it had smacked into the hardwood floor. I was going to have a massive bump there for a bit, but my shifter biology would heal it quickly, so I wasn't hugely worried about it. I was mostly worried about the nausea, because it probably meant I had a concussion.

Roarke buried his face in my neck. He was shaking. "Roarke," I croaked, rubbing his arm to try to soothe him, my other arm pinned against his chest. "What's wrong? Talk to me." I winced when the light from a window flashed across my face and pierced my brain. Holy mother of all headaches, my head hurt.

I pulled my head away from his chest, squinting up at his face, and was stunned to see him crying. Like, full-on silent tears running down his face crying. It was heartbreaking. I'd never seen Roarke cry. Ever.

The sight of my best friend crying made me suddenly furious. I wanted to chomp down on whoever'd made him cry with my bear teeth and gut them with my claws. How dare they! I winced as my head throbbed particularly viciously and I groaned, then went back to being furious.

I was going to hurt someone.

Just as soon as I could see straight.

Roarke's chuckle was watery as he pulled me in closer to him until there was zero space between our bodies, and gently cradled me, nuzzling my neck. I shivered as his lips grazed my skin.

"That's all it takes to turn you into a warrior woman, huh? My tears?"

"What happened? Who hurt you?" I demanded, still croaking. I was going to go eat them!

But before he could answer, my Clan came in in their human forms, all of them wearing black sweats and no shirt. We had drop places for sweats everywhere on Clan property, but I had a dozen or so in a bin outside my house, so they'd likely gotten the sweatpants there.

Instead of barreling in and instantly haranguing me with questions, they stayed at the open front doorway and scented the air. Even Taco looked subdued.

"You okay, chica?"

I nodded, though I was still distracted by the tear-tracks on my best friend's face and his obvious pain. "Yeah, has alpha caught the intruder yet?" They were probably well away from Clan property by now, but a girl could hope.

Mateo came into my house on bare feet, his movements graceful and quiet, but the others stayed by the front door. "Alpha's on his way back, Em. The intruder got away. We put in a call to MCPD. Hopefully Finn can find him."

"He stole Emrie's locket," Roarke growled angrily. I startled at his growl and looked down at my chest.

My locket! It was gone!

"Roarke, my parents gave that to me." I wanted to bawl like a baby. I couldn't believe that stupid thief had stolen my locket! What did he need it for? It wasn't valuable! Just two engraved silver ovals with a latch and a picture of my parents inside.

I stilled.

"It had a picture of my parents inside, Roarke."

Roarke cursed. "We'll get it back," he growled.

I nodded numbly.

"Em," Mateo said. "We're heading back to the lodge, okay? Alpha is just about here."

I looked at him in confusion, so bewildered by the last few minute's string of events I couldn't even begin to make sense of them. Roarke, my dragon who never crossed lines, was wrapped around me like a burrito. My Clan brothers, who'd always felt free to barge into my home at regular intervals in the past, had yet to cross my threshold. Instead they kept scenting the air, and looking at me with their most serious expressions. My home had just been broken into, and the intruder had jumped on me and stolen a twenty-dollar locket. Not exactly a thing that most thieves had aspirations to steal. And usually, the Clan brothers that I couldn't peel off of me with a stick when I was injured or emotional, were warily keeping their distance from me.

I mean, I wasn't going to go full diva on anyone, but I'd been injured in a home invasion. Didn't that rate them staying and maybe offering some protection? What good were brothers if they ran away when you were in trouble?

Nothing was making sense right then, and I didn't think it was the stupid concussion.

Roarke gently led me to my sofa after the rest of the Clan left, sat me down, then rummaged around in my freezer for something. He came out with an ice pack which he quickly wrapped in a dish towel, then sat and put a pillow in his lap, patting the pillow with his free hand. "Here. Rest your head."

I gaped at him. This was definitely crossing lines. But he was insistent, and I was in too much pain to puzzle out his odd behavior, so I laid my head on the pillow and closed my eyes, while he gently held the ice pack to the back of my throbbing head.

Alpha Riggs came in then. The alpha power spoking off of him made me groan in pain. I could even see it with my eyes closed, it burned so bright. Behind my closed eyelids, Alpha Riggs' power looked like pure white rays of light that shot through his skin and outward in a circle of ultra bright beams.

"You're hurting her," Roarke growled.

"I'm sorry, Emrie," Riggs said quietly, and the bright spokes of light began to dim. To Roarke he said, "I'm not trying to. I'm sorry that I am."

Roarke nodded stiffly above me.

"I'm going to go check the second floor and make sure it's clear." He ascended the stairs and started moving methodically through my second floor, and from the sound of it, checking all the nooks, crannies and closets.

I wasn't sure how he'd known my second floor hadn't been checked yet. Probably by the scents in my house.

He came back down a few minutes later, and sat in the fluffy, stuffed chair that sat kitty corner to my couch.

"How are you holding up, Emrie?"

"I'm okay, Alpha. I just have a headache from where my head smacked the hardwood floor."

I opened my eyes a slit, but when even that hurt, I closed them again. Alpha got up and rummaged in my cupboards. He came back with an unopened bottle of ibuprofen. He emptied three out into his palm, and handed me a bottle of water to swallow them with. I propped myself up on one elbow and downed them, then handed the bottle back and lay back down.

Alpha sat back down in the chair. "That should take the edge off in a few minutes. We'll wait to talk until then." After about fifteen minutes, the pulsing pain in my head had lessened, and I gently sat up.

Roarke rummaged in one of my drawers and came back with a pair of sunglasses. I thanked him and put them on. I might look ridiculous wearing them inside, but they helped a ton.

He sat back down next to me, and pulled me close to him so I was snug against his side. I had no idea what'd come over my best friend. He was acting like an octopus with sticky tentacles.

I finally got a good look at my alpha, and was startled to see a huge smile on his face. He even looked a little choked up.

"Will someone please explain to me what in the world is going on? I mean it was weird enough for the intruder to drop by unexpectedly, steal a cheap locket, and break my brain, but then the Clan was acting all weird, Roarke is being very cuddly all the sudden, and you're smiling like a ghoul!"

I swore, the next words out of someone's mouth had better be something that made sense or I was going to turn into my bear and go take a nap in the woods.

And then my alpha spoke, and it stunned the frustration right out of me.

"Congratulations Emrie and Roarke. Emrie, Roarke is your mate."