Heart of the Bear (Hells Canyon Shifters Book 5) by T. S. Joyce Page B

“My mate was human once. The heart wants what the heart wants, but it’s not me you have to convince. My cousin over there is a harder sell.” He jerked his chin toward Ethan and winked at her.
    “No, he’s not. Ethan’s a total teddy bear,” Reese said, draping her arms over her mate’s shoulders as he sipped his beer.
    The firelight threw a flickering glow across Reese’s smiling face, but Ethan watched Rae with an unreadable expression. Jesse had seen that a million times, that calculating look. He hadn’t accepted his pairing with Rae.
    Rae dropped her gaze, as if she had the same instincts the rest of them did around Ethan, and a soft snarl came from behind Jesse’s sternum. He didn’t want her cowed, and he sure as shit didn’t want his best friend giving her grief. “She’s been through a lot in the last couple of days, Ethan. Cut her some slack, will ya?”
    “Yeah, man,” Dillon said from across the fire. “You’re being kind of a dick.”
    “Not a dick,” Ethan responded in a deep, gravelly voice. “Worried about my friend is all.”
    “Here’s the problem with that,” Jesse snapped. “When Reese came into your life, what did I do?”
    Ethan looked away and took another draw of his beer.
    “What did I do?” Jesse repeated louder.
    “You supported me,” Ethan gritted out, his eyes dipping to their inhuman color. Jesse should’ve cared, but he didn’t. Not when Ethan was crossing the line like this.
    “Please stop,” Rae whispered.
    Jesse swallowed a snarl and tore his gaze away from Ethan’s.
    “I don’t want to cause tension. It’s okay if you don’t trust me yet,” she said, swinging her attention to Ethan. “I really do get it. I’ve come in here and shaken everything up, and you need more time to assess if I’m a good fit for your clan or not. I know I would be the only human under you, and that changes the dynamic for your people. I can wait. I care about Jesse. I can be patient and earn your trust.”
    The silence was so thick it pressed an uncomfortable weight across Jesse’s shoulders. He wanted his best friend to accept his mate, but he couldn’t tell what Ethan was thinking as he stared at Rae with burning, silver eyes that reflected like an animal’s in the firelight.
    No one spoke or moved. The night birds in the trees had gone quiet, as if they were affected by the grim change in mood.
    Ethan leaned over to a cooler by his chair, popped the lid, and tossed Rae a beer. “Then stay. Your probation is lifted, and you can leave whenever you want, but I’m inviting you to stay and be a part of my clan. Stay for Jesse.”
    Rae sat up straighter and nodded slowly as moisture rimmed her eyes. Her lip quivered as she looked at the faces of the people Jesse loved the most. The Cress alphas, Dillon, Logan, and their mates. A single tear fell to her cheek as she returned her gaze to Ethan’s. “Okay,” she said thickly.
    Jesse straightened in the chair and gripped her leg. “Okay, what?”
    “Yes,” she said, face crumpling under her emotions as she cupped his cheeks. “I’ll stay for you. I’ll be a part of this clan.”
    Unable to contain himself, Jesse shot up with her in his arms and squeezed her against him. He swayed and buried his face against her shoulder. “Tell me you’re serious.”
    A short laugh escaped her lips, and she sniffled and held onto his neck. “I wouldn’t joke right now. Not about this. My answer is yes.”
    Reese squealed. That’s the only word that could describe the sound that came from her throat. She bounded over to them and threw her arms around both of them, then Samantha joined, then Muriel and Breshia.
    Rae looked from face to beaming face and looked so happy, tears and all.
    No matter what was coming their way, no matter what they had yet to deal with, they were in this together, him and his mate.
    He wasn’t alone anymore, and a weight he hadn’t known he’d been carrying lifted from his shoulders. He wanted to cry