Page 97 of Trusting Her Bear

“Quinn, you won’t be able to survive all of us.” She waves her arms.

“I don’t want them to kill me; I want you to do it.” I step close, and the tip of her knife meets my skin. “Can you?”

“What is wrong with you?”

“You talk big, but can you kill your own son?”

“Don’t push me,” she growls.

“Why not? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Fuck you.” She nicks my skin. “I don’t give a shit about you. I want to kill you and your mate.”

The blows to my soul are much harsher than the cuts to my skin. “I get it. You have been pretty clear.” I put my hand on the handle of the knife. “Mom,” I say softly. “You can stop. I will help you. I don’t know how I can help you, but I will do anything. We can go see Dad. It might take time, but you can change this around. Please, don’t do this,” I beg. “Mom,” I whisper.

She looks at my hand and then at my face. “Son, there is no going back,” she says and pushes.

I fling her hand away before she can do permanent damage and jump back. “I didn’t come alone either.” Kade and Cash move through the trees behind me.

“Two tigers. That’s sixteen against three.” She curls her lip.

“Your mom is charming.” I turn my head as Micah floats to a stop with my mate in his arms. Steph pushes away and bends over. “I told you it would hurt,” he says. She heaves. “And make you throw up.”

“Steph,” I growl, taking a step.

“Quinn,” she gasps, looking at me with her hands on her knees. “Don’t blame them.”

“I get to meet your mate,” Mom says sweetly.

“Stay the fuck away from her,” I yell when she starts to move closer. “Take her away, Micah,” I order.

“Can’t do that. We all wanted to join the party.” He raises his arms, and suddenly, the forest is filled with panthers, wolves, vampires, dragons, cheetahs, lions, and a rabbit.

Heath walks through the line of my friends and doesn’t stop until he is standing in front of Steph, shielding her from my angry mother.

“Why don’t you use a monster to fight a monster,” he says, smoothing his hand down his dress shirt.

I look at each of them, and my heart pieces back together a little.

Chapter Twenty-One

Stephanie

Ithought it would be faster if Micah carried me, even though I knew it would be painful to have anyone else’s hands on my body. I take deep breaths to calm the nausea. A vampire can move at speeds a bear could never. My legs are short, and I wanted to get to my mate as soon as possible.

I smelled blood and heard some of the conversation on the way, but I was concentrating on surviving the trip. I slowly stand straight and realize Quinn is the one bleeding. There is another man on the ground beside them, his chest barely moving, and his face is mangled.

“Quinn,” I gasp. His cuts are healing, but the blood remains. I raise my foot to run to him.

“Micah,” he snarls, and the vampire seizes my waist.

“Quinn,” I repeat, my feet dangling.

“Please, stay back,” Quinn begs.

“Isn’t this sweet,” the woman sings. “Sweets, he doesn’t want me to kill you,” she says. I jerk back, my head hitting the steel of Micah’s chest.

“Baby, this is my mother,” Quinn says sadly. The pain in his voice physically pinched my heart.