Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Surge snorted. “Asshole is grumbling to himself. His thoughts aren’t fit for Olivia’s ears, but there’s no way to stop them.”
Olivia chuckled. “I’ve heard worse. No need to worry.”
Molly winced and pressed the side of her face against Gavin. She was trying hard not to give anything away, but blocking one ear probably wasn’t enough.
Hayes pointed toward the sofa and various chairs as he headed for the kitchen table to grab more chairs and bring them into the circle.
Thorn and Surge joined him, each lifting a chair and then using it when they returned to the living space.
Everyone else took seats on the couch and various chairs. The four men held their mates close.
Surge began. “We met with the council of elders this morning. They support an alliance and any meetings we’d like to set up with your people. They suggest we put together a joint task force to patrol the area in every direction to see if we can learn where the lions are living and what their goals are.”
Felix nodded. “We had the same thinking. I spoke with our elders this morning also.”
Thorn glanced around at the women. “For as powerful as bears are—both in size and abilities—it would seem your newly mated females have skills that surpass any of us.”
Hayes glanced at Gavin, acknowledging his subtle nod. He turned his attention back to the bears. “Can Drow hear us?”
Surge shook his head. “We’ve blocked him. If he could hear us, he wouldn’t be grumbling to himself. He’d be listening.”
Olivia snickered. “He’s like a toddler.”
Thorn laughed. “Excellent observation.”
Gavin gave Molly a squeeze. “We need to share some things with you.”
Thorn and Surge nodded and turned their attention to Gavin.
“You know that Olivia has the ability to sense you before the rest of us in addition to being able to communicate telepathically with your people. That second power could prove invaluable at some point in the future. When shifted, our people do not have any method of communication. Olivia would have to operate as a liaison between our two societies, though she also can’t impart details to any of us except verbally.”
The two bears nodded.
Surge glanced at Khloe. “Your clairvoyance will come in handy. How reliable is it? I assume you knew we were coming both today and last night.”
Khloe nodded. “Yes. I can’t promise I will always know what others are planning, but I assume the universe sees fit to keep me informed of movements that are important. I hope she doesn’t find it necessary to let me know when someone is going to the bathroom,” she joked.
Hayes cleared his throat. “The truth is both Molly and Rylee will know when everyone uses the toilet.”
The bears flinched in tandem.
Thorn cocked his head to the side. “Why?”
Molly sat taller on Gavin’s lap. “I will hear it.”
“And I will smell it,” Rylee added.
Surge’s brows shot to his head. “From what distance?”
Hayes stiffened. This information needed to be shared, but it still made him uncomfortable revealing all their cards. “Farther than where you live.”
Thorn blinked, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two women. “You can hear and scent that far away?”
Rylee nodded. “Yes. It’s not interesting enough for me to pay attention to scents for miles around. It gets overwhelming. I have to ignore them, but I can tell if either of you is on the move and headed this way. Your scent grows closer. That change catches my attention.”
Surge glanced toward the door. “That’s why you have the back door open and the windows lifted.”
“Yes.”
Thorn frowned. “You have the same experience with sound?” he asked Molly.
“Yes, but hearing everything all around me is debilitating. I can’t tolerate it. My head would explode. Gavin insulated the house to block out sounds. I have to step outside to focus on things. I’m getting better at controlling the onslaught, but it’s never going to be less annoying, so I’m hindered by the fact that I have to keep the volume to a minimum.”
Surge ran a hand down his face. “Wow. That’s powerful. Guess I better curtail my cussing,” he joked.
Everyone chuckled with not much humor. They needed to keep things light, but the situation was anything but.
Thorn cleared his throat and looked toward Hayes and then the other men. “Will any of you consider letting your mates join the task force?”
Hayes cringed because he hated the idea, but he knew it might be necessary. “We’ll discuss it.”
Rylee wrapped her arm around his neck. She had to know how difficult it was going to be for Hayes to let her roam the fucking forest in search of lions. It was preposterous, and yet…
It went against all of their instincts to entertain the idea of bringing women along for any sort of patrol. For decades, the mates of Alpha Protectors had been coddled and protected from everything. That was the nature of their existence.