He filled his plate and moved out of theway. His brothers made plates for their mates before making one forthemselves. “Has anyone checked on the elders?”
“I called them earlier,” Ada announced. “Wetold them to shelter in place until we know more.”
“Are they good on supplies?” Drakeasked.
“They are low on a lot of things,” Adafrowned. “Alfred said he needed to get to town tomorrow, Friday atthe latest.”
Drake nodded and set his fork beside hisplate. “We need to come up with a plan to find these hunters. Therewere four in the sheriff’s vision, and we took out three. There isone more out there somewhere, and when he comes back, I’m positivehe will be bringing friends.”
“It’s spring, Drake,” Tessa huffed, foldingher arms across her chest. “We are low on food and the crops needto be prepared. We have the O’Kelly boys to help, but with thisthreat, are we going to be prisoners here?”
“No one is a prisoner,” he growled, hisbrother’s eyes flashing the golden color of his bear. The air inthe room thickened with the male’s mating scent, and the femalesrelaxed as Drake walked over to his mate. “We will get the suppliesand make sure everyone is cared for. I don’t want anyone to worryunnecessarily. There was one missing hunter, and if he returns, wewill deal with him.”
“Have you thought about calling thesheriff?” Ada asked. “Maybe he has some more insight to hisvision.”
“You know how I feel about having thatlawman on my land,” Drake grumbled, narrowing his eyes at hisbrother’s mate. Rex immediately took a stand in front of her.
Gunnar waved his hands in the air to geteveryone’s attention off his grumpy oldest brother. “We can come upwith a plan to get everyone their supplies and not leave the landunguarded.”
There was a heartbeat of silence before themales nodded and resumed eating. Gunnar decided to go out and checkon the O’Kelly brothers and the elders to take them the dinner he’dpromised before the attack. Rex would clean up while he went on hismission.
“Let me go with you,” Anna Claire beggedafter he’d cleared their plates and made the announcement. Shepicked up the few containers of food Ada had made for theothers.
“It’s not safe,” he replied, noticing hisvoice was no softer than Drake’s had been when he was upset aboutthe sheriff. “I’d rather you stay here.”
“Please, Gunnar,” she pleaded, her big eyesstaring up at him as if he held her world in his hands. “I needsome fresh air, and I’d like to visit with the females.”
Gunnar couldn’t deny her, and whether sheknew it or not, he was defenseless when it came to anything thefemale wanted. He wouldn’t be surprised if his older brothersteased him about being putty in her hands.
“You will have to listen to me about yoursafety,” he grunted. “I want you as close to me as possible.”
“I’d be against your skin if we would touchalready,” she hinted. A soft blush painted the tops of her cheeksas she turned away. “I’ll grab my jacket.”
Gunnar stared after her as she disappeareddown the hallway leading to their quarters. He felt a presencebeside him and knew it was his oldest brother.
“You need to claim her before the height ofmating season,” he warned, giving Gunnar a knowing look when hebroke his gaze from the hallway. “She needs you.”
“She needs a gentle hand,” Gunnar growled.“That isn’t me or my bear.”
“You underestimate yourself, brother,” Rexadded. Gunnar finally glanced past their shoulders and saw thefemales were nowhere to be found. They must’ve gone to their roomsto give the males a chance to talk alone.
“My bear and I know what we are, and we knowour limitations,” he replied, running his hand through his longhair in frustration. “But…I just cannot bring myself to touch heryet.”
“I don’t want to put my nose in yourbusiness, but I would suggest you touch her now rather than later,”Rex said with a knowing look. “She’s more than ready to completethe mating, and you should be, too.”
Gunnar glanced down the hallway and took adeep breath, “I’ll think about it.”
“Don’t overthink too long,” Drake said inhis slow, southern drawl. “That little lady needs you.”
Gunnar was quickly realizing he might havebeen acting too chivalrous. The female had expressed her desire togo through with the mating, but just like a female grizzly, she waswaiting for him to make the first move, because that was the way oftheir world.
“Sheriff?” Gaia frowned when she opened thedoor to her little home. The damn sheriff knew where she lived, andshe didn’t like it one bit. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you,” he replied, raisinga brow. “May I come in?”
Gaia narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge hertrust of the angel. He’d never done anything to harm her or herbears, but his presence irritated her to no end. They weredifferent beings. She wasn’t cast down from heaven to care forthose in need like he’d been. She didn’t even worship the gods.Hell, she was born of the earth, and that had nothing to do withthem.
“Sure,” she agreed and pushed the door openwide. When he passed the threshold, she felt his power, and it hither square in the chest, taking her next breath. What was it aboutthat male?
Gaia looked out across her small propertyand didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The sheriff’s car satin her driveway like a large, white, blinking beacon. She wasn’thappy about him showing up in his patrol car. The last thing sheneeded was for her neighbors to become nosy.
“I came to see you about the hunters,” hesaid, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know why I keepseeing them. They have no bearing on my panthers, and everything todo with the Morgan clan.”
“You need to leave my bears out of yourbusiness,” she warned as she took a seat in her chair. She pointedtoward the couch and waited for him to take a seat. “They are theirown people, and they are ruled differently than the othershifters.”
“Why is that?” Garrett inquired, shaking hishead when she glared at him. “I’m sorry. I’m
