Bearly a Chance: A Second Chances Romance (5 page)

Ben wondered if Aria had known about shifters before she’d given birth to her own cub.

My cub.
Bear’s claim was grumpy, as if he was asking why Ben wasn’t bolting through the swiftly closing door. He’d considered it, but before he could decide one way or the other the door clicked shut. He watched through the glass as Delilah locked the door. Her large green eyes locked on his for a moment, brow furrowed slightly. From the scent sneaking around the poorly sealed door, it was curiosity and not anger that twisted her features. Ben was grateful for Bear’s insight into the matter, because making Del mad could easily be as bad as ending up on the wrong side of Tori Fox.

Delilah threw a last glance over her shoulder, eyes wide and round, as she turned to follow Aria into the shop. Ben could have sworn her mouth formed a single word.

Wait.

Wait for what? For her to let him in to the shop through a secret door? Wait for his mate to come rushing out to him promising undying love? Probably have more luck waiting on hell to freeze. He suppressed a chuckle at the dark turn his thoughts had taken.

The witch’s advice didn’t much matter to bear anyways. Bear wasn’t going anywhere until he knew that Aria was safe. Come hell or high water, witches or rumored fallen gods, Ben and his bear would be there for Aria this time.

No more fucking running, no more hiding.

He just hoped Aria could handle the truth, the wild nature that coiled beneath his human skin.

With a sigh, Ben called bear closer to the surface and began his patrol once more. This time they confined their attention to the witch shop and its grounds. The place made Ben’s skin twitch and ache the closer bear came to the surface. Something in the air made their nose itch. It was hard to suppress sneezes when bear was lending Ben his sense of smell, but somehow they managed together.

Just one of countless compromises they’d made in sharing this life. But underneath the camaraderie, Ben had the sense that bear’s patience with compromise was wearing thin.

Bear wanted his mate, his cub. And he wanted them now.

Ben was so focused on keeping his bear inside while also watching the shop closely that he didn’t bother investigating the scrabble of claws behind him. Bear heard the sound the sound but refused to give in to distraction. All that mattered in this moment was Aria. Aria and Faith.

CHAPTER SIX

Aria hesitated in the entry of Delilah’s shop. An array of flasks and vials sat neatly on color coded racks. Each container had a handwritten label affixed to it. As she scanned the store, she spotted a section that begged her to dive right in. Gorgeous polished stones overflowed velvet lined baskets in the shelves of the bay window. The evening light streamed through the panes, highlighting all the colors in stunning reds and yellows.

Without thought, Aria went over and knelt on the floor in front of the shelf centered in the bay window. She couldn’t help running the smooth stones through her fingers. For a moment, memories of the past consumed her. Memories of Ben.

They’d hiked an hour to get to the old mining pit. Ben claimed he had a surprise for her, but she had no clue what he thought was so special about an old quarry.

No clue, until they arrived. He unloaded a battery operated rock polishing machine, and gestured toward the scarred landscape.

His words melted her heart. “Let’s make something beautiful from this mess,” he said as he gestured around them. They clambered through the pit picking up every rock that caught their eye.

They took turns running the polisher, and making gift bags out of the best results. Ben had found one stone that he insisted would be hers. A pink heart-shaped gem spiraled throughout with black. He’d placed the stone in her hand and said she’d hold his heart forever. That was the day she knew she wanted to spend her life with him.

Aria felt tears trickle down her cheeks when she spotted what looked like the twin to that pendant resting just apart from the basket filled with similar stones. She snapped up the stone and caressed its smooth surface while she tried to shove the memories of the past back into the box they’d escaped.

With a final swipe of her tears, Aria turned and wandered back through the store towards Gran and Delilah. Faith’s delighted giggles drew her on, and she wondered what had caught her girl’s interest. But as the giggles continued they changed. There was a deeper undertone to them.

From the soft sounds of Gran and Del’s voices, they hadn’t noticed the increasing distress in Faith’s voice. Aria couldn’t ignore the warning in that low undertone, and sprinted across the store, searching every nook and cranny she passed for Faith. As she approached the front desk, the growly-giggles grew louder. Aria could feel Gran’s curious gaze boring into her back as she hopped over the desk and landed lightly beside Faith. Faith had her pudgy hands pressed tightly against a door that was hidden from sight of the shopping area by a gorgeous tapestry. Faith made another almost indescribable sound, and light surrounded her hands before flowing into the door. The door reflected that light back for a moment, in colors as glorious and fascinating as the aurora borealis. Aria bent down, determined to remove Faith from the situation, only to pause when her eyes met Faith’s. Despite the bear-like sounds the babe was making along with her giggles her eyes remained clear blue.

“Delilah? Is there something I should know about this door?” Aria’s voice wavered on the word door. From the reaction her question got, Aria guessed the answer was a resounding yes. Before her heart pounded three times Gran and Delilah were kneeling beside Faith in front of what Aria suspected was a magic door.

“Is that what I think it is?” Gran’s voice was clipped and hard. The angry glance she tossed at the tapestry ought to have set the thing afire if the world truly bent to her whim.

Delilah’s short nod and wide eyes sent Aria’s heart racing even faster. She had to protect her baby, but she was so far out of her depth in this moment she might as well be drowning.

“Will it hurt her, Delilah?” Gran’s question was a bit softer. Her hands hovered just above Aria’s shoulders, fists clenched tight until the knuckles whitened. Aria had the sense that even her tough Gran was unnerved by the situation they were in. “Is it safe to move her?”

“Maybe.” Delilah shrugged, but her warm green eyes shone with worry. “Last I checked that damn door was nothing more than a door. A rather special door, but not dangerous. Now?” She shrugged again.

Aria reached out to pull Faith’s little hands away from the door, only to be stopped by Gran’s warning growl. Aria drew back, eyes wide as she looked across her child to the only other person who knew Faith’s secret.

“Don’t. Touch. Her.” Gran’s command was punctuated by snarls. Her eyes blazed metallic green.
Shit, was Gran going to shift here, in front of the witch?
Aria hoped not. Dread snaked through her stomach. If Gran was having this much trouble with her animal, why was Faith seemingly unaffected? Her wide eyes remained crystalline blue.

Gran paused a moment, took a deep breath, then reached out and pulled Faith tight to her chest, hugging her close. The door flared brightly for a moment–as if searching for the tot–then dimmed. Faith’s low, loud growl suggested that both her human and bear sides had been beyond captivated by the pretty door. Aria’s stomach twisted when that growl didn’t diminish in intensity or ferocity. Gran’s answering snarl only confused the situation more.

Aria fought to suppress her panic, and moved in close as she dared. She gently enfolded Gran and Faith in a tight hug, and carefully eased everyone back away from the door. She could feel the tension and fear radiating from Gran’s tense shoulders. Whatever was up with that door had Gran spooked. Gran kept a tight hold on Faith and followed Aria as she slowly led them both around to the front of the desk. It was hard to move in the half-crouched position that Gran insisted on holding, as if she was trying to protect Faith from something. The glare Gran leveled back toward Aria as she cajoled them to safety had her believing Gran was protecting Faith from her.

“I would never hurt her, Gran.” Aria whispered as they trio finished skittering around the desk. Gran’s sharp nod didn’t ease the ache in Aria’s chest.

“I know. But she could hurt you, and that damn door about obliterated you both.”

“What the-” Del’s voice was soft, yet confident. “Wait, is Faith a shifter too?”

Aria just nodded, hoping Delilah would see her wordless answer.

“Shit on a stick. Please tell me she’s a fox?”

“Nope. Bear.” Aria grunted as Gran pulled out of her grip. Aria reached for Faith, but Gran turned them both away from her grasping hands.

“Hang on. I’m getting help,” Delilah dashed toward the front door of the shop. “Just hold on to her Tori. Don’t let her touch that blasted door again.”

What the fuck is wrong with that door? Why is it dangerous to Faith?

Aria tiptoed around Gran and Faith, keeping her distance. Gran’s green-swirled glare felt almost like a physical barrier. It was so hard not to rush to her daughter and cradle her close. “Is she alright?”

Gran’s eyes flared even brighter. Aria watched as Gran carefully patted Faith from head to toe, as though looking for physical damage. She couldn’t see anything from where she stood, but based on growls and huffs Faith was making she was on the verge of a full shift.

Aria bolted toward the door, determined to drag Del back to deal with this mess when help finally arrived. Two sets of footsteps pounding up the sidewalk. One sounded much heavier, more solid than the other.
Thank god.
But she wondered who exactly Del considered to be adequate help in this situation.

Her heart fluttered and her stomach dropped when Benjamin stormed into the shop, hot on Del’s heels. His swirling silver gaze locked onto Aria’s. And he flashed a quick dimple and a half smile before his expression stiffened. He was completely serious as he knelt slowly beside Gran and the tiny bundle of furious white cub she was struggling to contain. Aria was so distracted by Ben’s arrival she hadn’t seen Faith shift. Grateful as she was for help, Aria didn’t know if Ben’s presence would be an improvement.

Fuck. Where the fuck has he been? And how do I explain this?

CHAPTER SEVEN

Ben couldn’t stop the grin he flashed at Aria. Her shocked, worried expression hammered him like a fist to the stomach, so he gave his bear a bit more freedom and put his game face on. From the sound of things, Aria’s cub was ferocious. He knelt slowly beside Victoria, not wanting to startle her or the cub with his presence. Tori’s green eyes flashed fury at him, but she controlled her fox well. He waited patiently as some of the color flowed from her gaze. Pain twisted her face with each smidgen of blue that returned. She’d covered the cub with her lithe frame, protecting her grandchild from whatever endangered them. Ben couldn’t see much more than paws past Tori. White bear paws.

Oh, shit.

Mine
, his bear roared challenge to whatever had harmed his cub. Roared and threatened to burst through his skin right then and there. His bear needed to do battle, fight against anything and everything that even hinted at causing the cub–his cub–distress. Ben’s skin tingled, and he felt his claws lengthen.

“Chain your beast,” Victoria’s growl startled him. “We have to get out of here. Not safe for bears.” Her green eyes flickered to a colorful rug hanging behind the cash register.

Fuck.
Ben fought to regain a modicum of control. No way was bear going to peacefully cooperate after that look. Fear hovered Victoria’s eyes. And that was damn intimidating, because Tori Fox was known for many things, and fear was most assuredly
not
one of those things. Ben couldn’t see anything dangerous in the rug. But his bear surged up again, rumbling about stinging magic. Dangerous magic. It made Bear want to sneeze, and cough and claw things to bits. Ben had no idea how magic could reach them from across the room, but he trusted his bear implicitly. Growling at the offending carpet, Ben gathered Victoria and the cub up in his strong arms. He rose slowly to his feet, calling on his bear to help lift the pair. The scent of iron almost drove bear mad, until he realized the iron had a hint of fox to it.

Tori’s bleeding. Dammit.
He was torn between relief and worry. Relief that it wasn’t the babe bleeding, worry that whatever had harmed Victoria was still a danger. He stalked to the front door and kicked it open so hard the door flew past the stops on the hinges The tempered glass spider-webbed on impact, but didn’t fall.
Crap, that’s going to be expensive.
Still, Bear was just grateful it wasn’t his cub’s blood being spilled. Ben agreed. There was no chance in hell they’d retain any semblance of control when a cub was hurt, much less their cub. He could hear Aria and Delilah scampering behind him. At least his mate and cub were safe, for now.

“Is it safe?” Aria’s question made him hesitate before stepping through the exit.
Safe?
He looked at her, felt his brows furrow in confusion. It was almost like old times, with her picking up on his unspoken thoughts. He didn’t dare speak, though. Bear had too much control of their body for words.