Page 24 of Chasing Dawn

Talbot laughed. “Fuck no.”

Just like that, the animosity was gone. That was the truly amazing thing about the twins. They forgave so easily. They didn’t hold grudges or bad blood. They’d been pissed, but now there was a solution, so it was time to forgive and forget.

We came up with a plan to make Dawn so goddamn happy that she’d never leave or feel any emotion but love and safety ever again.

First step: Destroy the fucker who haunted her thoughts and soak the Nevada desert with his blood.

Second step: Make love to her until she was basically Jello.

Third step: Well, this one was up for debate, but Talbot wanted to find those pups for her, so that was what we’d do. I just wanted to repeat step two over and over again.

“I hate to bring up hard subjects, but what about heirs?” Talbot’s face was more morose than I’d ever seen it. “She can’t have cubs. Not for any of us.”

I wasn’t going to lie, the thought of not having cubs with Dawn broke my heart. Not having precious little blond babies to spoil rotten was like a knife to the chest, but… “I don’t want cubs with anyone but Dawn. That tells me all I need to know. The sleuth will go on, as will the bears. I’d rather be happy than worried about my lineage.”

Franklin shrugged. “We have a whole sleuth of cubs to help raise. I’m okay if none of them look like me.”

Talbot smiled. “Me either. Wouldn’t want to inflict your face on any unsuspecting young anyway.”

“My face is your face, asshole,” Franklin growled, punching his twin in the arm.

I laughed at them. I was being honest before. There really were no other men I’d consider doing this with. These guys already had an uncomfortable grip on my heart, and they would wrap around Dawn like a protective wall so nothing would hurt her ever again.

I stood, but not all the way up. The cave wasn’t big enough for an adult. “I have to go on patrol, but perhaps one of you could go reassure our mate that I wasn’t talking out of my ass when I said I was okay with her pursuing something with you two.”

Talbot shook his head. “I’m not sure I’m convinced either,” he said, following me out and dropping down onto the snow-covered ground beneath the cave.

Franklin, as always, took a little longer to convince himself to make the leap, but he landed as lithely as a cat beside us.

“Yep, I’m still not convinced that your bear won’t smell us on her the first time and give us a second hole to shit out of,” he added, swiping snow off his pants.

I rolled my eyes, grabbed his face, held his cheeks between my hands, and kissed him hard. His eyes flew comically wide, and I resisted the urge to laugh.

When I let him go, he stumbled back a few steps. They both looked at me like I’d lost my damn mind.

“Uh, Vance… Didn’t know you swung that way.”

I just laughed. “I don’t, but I couldn’t think of a better way to prove that the bear considers you closer than betas. He’s considered you his since forever, despite the fact that you’re several years younger than me. He is over the moon that Dawn will bring us all closer together and make us a proper family.” I walked away, still chuckling at their gaping, shocked faces. “Come on, assholes. No more pouting. There’s paperwork to do, I have to go on patrol, and I want to find those pups for our mate.”

I held my breath as I got farther and farther away from our old clubhouse, and there were no footsteps following me. Finally, there was the crunch of snow beneath rough-soled shoes, and I let out a relieved breath.

My betas were by my side forever. Now all we had to do was convince Dawn that we could be beside her forever too.

CHAPTER 16

FRANKLIN

We decided to take it slow with the physical aspect of our relationship with Dawn, despite having to fight the urge to take her to my den and bury my face between her thighs every time I caught a hint of her desire. She’d been through a lot, and I didn’t want her to rush into this and regret it later.

Over the next few days, the three of us set about wooing her. I brought her food and snuggled her all the time. She hadn’t spent a single night in her own bed, but no one pushed anything more than some spooning.

Talbot had gotten a lead on the pups, but he hadn’t told her yet. He wanted to confirm it was true before he got her hopes up, but the guy was doubling down on his own wooing efforts. He brought her a plant that only grew in these mountains, and when he saw how much she loved it, we went about creating her a slightly bigger surprise.

Being in the crowded den still seemed to overwhelm her, although I couldn’t fault my den mates. They’d been so fucking gentle with her, it made my heart full. Still, she needed her own space, and I’d been working with the guys over the last couple of days to make it for her.

It felt like a courting gift, and that was how I hoped she saw it.

As I drilled the final crossbar on the wooden bench, I thanked the goddess she was short because this space had been perfect, but not really made for full-grown bear betas.