Zena Wynn - Mary and the Bear

Unnoticed by her, they'd already fallen into a routine. Each morning they ate breakfast together before she left for work. After work, she had time to herself to unwind and enjoy her privacy. He'd noticed that his mate was a very private person and needed plenty of personal space. His working evenings allowed her the time she needed alone to recharge her batteries.

When she was ready for company, she came down to the diner and sought him out. He gave her the excuse she needed by providing food for her to eat. In reality, she came down because she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her, and not for the free meal. He knew it was the truth because any woman that loved to cook as much as Mary Elizabeth did would never have turned over all the cooking to him. That she had was simply her mind's way of giving her a valid reason to do what her heart wanted to do. She wasn't ready to admit to herself that she loved him.

She definitely wasn't ready to hear that he loved her. In her mind, love had to be earned. She didn't consider herself worthy of being loved. It's a lesson she learned from her parents when she'd had to earn her place in their affections. She wasn't taught that she was lovable just as she was. The message she drilled into her since early childhood was that the beautiful people were given love, everyone else had to earn theirs. She didn't see her own beauty. Not only was she beautiful on the outside, more importantly, she was beautiful on the inside. Her inner beauty radiated out of her like sunshine, visible for all to see.

There was so much he needed to tell her that she wasn't ready to hear. She still had no idea that he was a shifter. She had no inkling that they were mated, which in his world was more binding than marriage and more permanent than death. She thought she was involved in an affair, something that could be ended at any moment.

Somehow he was going to have to find a way to force her to face her feelings. She needed to know that what they had was forever, but he had to get the timing just right. If he confronted her before she was ready, she'd run. He'd rather face her temper than have her run from him in a panic.

"Hey, Hugh. Where's your lady? Shouldn't she be here by now?"

Hugh looked at the clock. It was way past the time when Mary Elizabeth usually joined him. “Yeah, she should. Maybe she took a nap. I'll give it another hour before I call her,” he told Ralph, his other cook.

Business picked up in the diner and before he knew it, another two hours had passed. Realizing she still hadn't arrived, he fixed a “to go” dinner to take to her. “I'm taking a break. I'll be back in an hour."

"Okay, boss."

He went out the back door and started up the stairs. He was halfway to the door before he realized her truck wasn't in the parking lot.

Stopping, he turned and started back down the stairs. Surely she wasn't still at work. It was after eight o'clock. She should have been home hours ago. He crossed over to the Hummer, put her food on the passenger seat and drove the few short blocks to the store. Mary Elizabeth usually parked in front. There was no sign of her vehicle and the store was locked up tight. All of the lights were off inside.

He sat in the vehicle, trying to think of where she could be. She was still new in town and didn't know too many people. That left Kiesha, Mary Elizabeth's best friend and the reason she was here. He backed out of the parking space and made a u-turn in the middle of the street. He was going to find the one person who would know where his mate was.

Kiesha was jumpier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Every time the phone rang, she expected it to be Hugh, demanding to know Mary Elizabeth's whereabouts. Alex informed her that no one was allowed to interfere in the bonding process between mates, not even Alphas, a rule she'd forgotten. Those who did ran the risk of being ostracized by the Pack. When Hugh did come calling, and she had no doubt that he would, she would have two angry males on her hands.

They both looked up at the sound of a vehicle in the drive.

Alex said, “That sounds like Hugh. Wonder what's so important that he had to drive all the way out here instead of picking up the phone and calling.” He headed to the door.

Kiesha got off of the couch and began to ease up the stairs. She knew it was useless to run but she had to try any way. There was no way she could just sit there, knowing what was coming. She was halfway up the stairs by the time Alex opened the door for Hugh.

"Come in and tell me what's wrong."

"Alex, sorry to disturb you but I need to speak to your mate. It's extremely important."

Alex gestured toward the living room. “Sure, she's right in here. Where did that woman go? She was right here a minute ago."

Kiesha flinched when one of the stairs creaked under her foot, knowing they'd heard.

"Kiesha, there you are. Hugh is here to see you."

Kiesha slowly turned around, knowing the look on her face screamed her guilt.

Seeing her expression, Alex asked, “Kiesha, what have you done?"

She straightened up her shoulders and held her head up high, deciding to brazen it out. “I didn't do anything. I was simply heading for the bathroom."

"Then why do you look guilty?"

Hugh butted in. “Kiesha, do you know where Mary Elizabeth is? She's not at home, nor is she at the store. I was hoping she was here."

Kiesha began to fidget. The moment she dreaded was at hand.

Alex got a suspicious look on his face. “Kiesha, you know where Mary Elizabeth is, don't you?"

"Well, technically I don't, not really.” She wasn't lying. Mary Elizabeth hadn't checked in yet, so she didn't know where she was. She just knew where she wasn't, and that was in Refuge.

Hugh, obviously holding onto his patience, asked, “Why don't you tell us what you do know.” His voice was strained, like he was trying not to yell.

"Watch how you're speaking to my mate,” Alex said with a hard look.

Hugh returned his look with one of his own. “As soon as your mate tells me where mine has disappeared to, I'll leave and be out of your hair."

"Your mate? Mary Elizabeth is your One? Damn, that's great news. I was hoping this would happen.” Alex grinned from ear-to-ear and slapped Hugh on the arm, congratulating him.

"It would be fantastic news except for the fact that she seems to have disappeared, and your mate is the only one who knows what happened,” Hugh said dryly.

At this, they both directed their attention to Kiesha, who had managed to climb up two more steps. “Love, don't you move, not one more step, you hear? Otherwise I might be forced to come and get you. Where's Mary Elizabeth?"

Kiesha stopped, knowing he wouldn't hesitate to do exactly as he had said. She could occasionally push Alex, but she'd learned not to cross him. She took a deep breath and blurted, “She left town.” Her hand gripped the rail and her body was tensed to run. If they came after her, she wouldn't have much of a head start.

"What do you mean, she left town?” The question came from Alex. Hugh was too busy growling, not a good sign. She had no desire to see an angry bear. Shannon's words came back to her.

"Well, she sort of found out by accident that she was mated to a shifter, a fact she didn't know,” she turned to glare at Hugh and quickly turned back to Alex when she saw how furious Hugh was. “She freaked out and needed time to think, so I sent her on a business trip.” Seeing the looks on both men's faces, she spoke faster. “She was just going to run but I slowed her down and gave her something constructive to do while she was gone. She'll be back once she's had time to settle down."

Hugh was so furious his eyes shifted and his jaw elongated, making his face look funny.