Page 41 of His to Defend

It didn’t take long for Liam to wiggle out from under him and deliver a few punches of his own. “Isn’t it bad enough that our cousins are all mated with weak partners? You had to go and do it too?”

“Shut the hell up.” Ryker hit him hard in the stomach. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” The gasp of air that rushed from Liam’s lungs satisfied Ryker, but only for a moment as his brother recovered fast. Shifters healed quickly, making them equal partners in a fistfight that often went on far too long.

“Right.” Liam got to his feet. “Only you didn’t just choose a weak little brown bear like Luke, did you? Or even a fragile fuckin’ bespectacled bear from God knows where.” He dodged Ryker’s fist and delivered a hit of his own as he continued. “Hell, even Axel chose a half breed, brother.”

“Stop talking, brother. I’m warning you.”

It was a warning that Liam didn’t heed. “You mated a human, brother. A fucking human. Do you even know what you’ve done?”

Ryker’s vision went red as his bear lost control. He barely even felt the crunch of bone as he connected with his brother’s face again. He didn’t register as his brother fell to the ground and he dropped punch after punch to his head. It wasn’t until his sister’s voice cut through the fog that he slowed.

“Ryker!” He felt her hands on his back. “Stop. You’re going to kill him.”

He shook her off, but stood and took a few steps back from Liam. “No,” he said to Natalia. “I wouldn’t be so lucky. He’ll heal.”

It was true. Liam was already healing. He’d be good as new in a few minutes and they all knew it.

“What is wrong with you two?” Natalia aimed the question at Ryker, but it was Liam who answered.

“He mated her, Nat.” Liam pulled himself to standing and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Did you know?”

Ryker looked to his sister, who nodded. “I knew.” Her voice was soft and sad. “But I’m pretty sure Nina doesn’t.”

It was clear that the answer was evident in the guilt of Ryker’s expression.

“Why?” Natalia asked Ryker. “Why did you do it? It wasn’t fair.”

“Fair?” Liam laughed. It was an evil sound. “You mean she doesn’t even know what you are?” He shook his head. “You’re a bigger asshole than I thought.”

He was an asshole. And he knew it. He never should have mated her. “I don’t know…I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s not right, Ryker.” His sister’s voice was laced with concern and love.

How was it possible that his siblings were so different? One so full of love. The other so full of hate. And then there was him.

“I know,” he admitted. “But I don’t know what to do.” It pained him to say the words aloud because he knew in his heart what his sister was going to say. It was the same thing his brother was going to say. Even if they were coming from different places.

“You can’t do this to her, Ryker.” Natalia stepped forward. She looked as if she were about to cry herself. “I know it’s terrible and heartbreaking and—”

“Whatever,” Liam interrupted. “Stop with the sappy bullshit.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Ryker. “You can’t be mated to a human and you damn well know it. Especially if you did it without consent. You’ve just broken about a dozen grizzly laws. It’s over, Ryker. And you already know it. The best thing you can do is just leave. There’s nothing here for you.”

His brother’s words stung, but they were also true. And that’s why Liam was there.

“Ryker?”

He couldn’t look at his sister. There was nothing she could tell him that wouldn’t hurt. Instead, he turned and looked back toward the sound of the celebration. Axel and Harper’s celebration. They were celebrating their love and she wasn’t a full grizzly. They could do it.

“It’s different,” Natalia said, as if she’d read his mind. “She knew. She had a choice. She’s—”

“A bear,” he finished for her. “I know.”

“Ryker, I wish it could be different. Nina, she—”

“Don’t.” He held up his hand. He couldn’t hear any more because they were both right. He broke the code when he’d taken her as a mate, but more importantly, he’d broken her trust. Even if he could tell her who he really was and make her understand, she might never forgive him. And if she turned him away…well, that would hurt more than it already did. “Don’t say it. Please don’t say anything.” He shook his head and turned away. “Can you just tell her…” He trailed off, unsure as to what Natalia could possibly tell his mate—the woman he loved, the woman he knew he would die for—that could soften the blow of him leaving. Because she’d feel it too. He knew she would. It didn’t matter what she’d said, what they’d both said; what they had between them was more than a fling. Much more. It was forever. It was fated.

But that didn’t matter because Natalia and Liam were right. Not only was it against the grizzly code, it just wasn’t right. It would be different if she’d accepted who he was and chosen him on her own. But he’d taken her.

“Enough already.” Liam laughed. “Are you seriously going to moon on and on about this human woman? You fucked up, Ryker. And you know it. You can try to beat the shit out of me all you like. It won’t change anything.”