“My back doesn’t need saving.”
Jett picked up another log and split it in the blink of an eye. Dax didn’t press. He didn’t have to. Anyone close to Jett knew what caused his sudden and random depression and anxiety. It had been two years since Jett lost his mate and baby daughter in a freak accident, but to Jett, it probably felt like mere minutes.
First, they’d lost their mother and then Jett lost his family. Dax glanced back at the house. They couldn’t lose Rowan, too. His father’s insistence that he take a mate had been an aggravating thorn in his side for years now. Dax didn’t know how to explain that he was holding out to find the kind of love his mom and dad had had. In a romanticized way, he knew that real love like that existed.
He thought of Allie and his middle tightened up.
He wanted her. If she continued to reject him, he’d have to take a mate at the gathering. Maybe it was time to consider what his father had been requesting.
Take a mate. Any mate.
The thought of any other woman made his heart sink.
Jett had mostly quit the family business, helping out only here and there, putting even more pressure on Dax to step up. He’d bought a small farm on the outskirts of town, raised bees and made crazy good things out of the honey. Dax jokingly called him Honey Bear, something Jett took to heart and used to name his brand of creations. His sale pitch was easy. Who didn’t want to buy honey from an honest to goodness bear shifter?
Their younger brother, Desi, was a Marine and hadn’t been home in years. They all kept hoping he’d wrap up soldier life and get his ass back to the pack. If Rowen continued to decline, Dax just may have to go get his baby brother himself and drag him home.
Jett ran a hand through his black hair. “You gonna race me or not?”
Jett split another log and kicked the pieces away. Well, his brother obviously had some demons to work out today, so who was Dax to deny him? With a sigh, he whipped off his own shirt which was already soaked clear through on the back. They each gathered logs and put one on their chopping blocks.
They raised their axes, and without an official start, began splitting the logs one after the other. kicking the split pieces off and putting a new one on. It was easy work, considering they were both pushing six-four and had bodies harboring the strong efficiency of a bear. Jett blew through his pile first and took his time gathering new logs.
“You’re slowing down, big brother.” Jett razzed.
“I’m going easy on you.”
“Yeah, fuck you.” Jett put two logs on the block and split them one after the other, his blade moving so fast, if you blinked, you’d miss it.
“Show off.”
Dax went about the rest of his pile steadily, without the frenetic pace of his brother. Jett would wear himself out eventually, and if history were any indicator, Dax would need to make him stop before he literally collapsed in exhaustion.
“How’d that bourbon infused honey ever turn out?” Dax prompted as he eyed his brother to monitor his progress. Jett was sweating now, his massive chest and shoulders slick with a sheen.
“Man, it’s so good. Tried some on toast today, and it was amazing. Would be even better on Frannie’s apple cream cheese muffins...”
Dax’s gut fell as his brother’s voice trailed off and he kept swinging, dropping the topic. Just when he thought they’d find another rhythm in chopping, Jett turned to him and set the axe against his shoulder.
“Tell me about this woman.”
Dax paused. “What woman?”
Jett scoffed. “The one I smell on you. Her scent is rolling off you like you took a bath with her.”
Fuck, he wished. “I’m doing some work on her bakery, Sticky Sweet, where dad gets those rolls he loves.”
Jett looked Dax up and down, the humor in his eyes saying he knew there was more to it.
“You don’t smell like you’ve just been in the same room with her. It smells like you had your hand in her — “
Heat raced down Dax’s spine and he straightened to his full height. “Watch yourself, Jett.”
His brother’s eyes narrowed at the implied threat in Dax’s posture. A low rumble came from his throat, but his grin widened. “Good for you, big brother. I hope she’s the one.”
With that, Jett dropped the axe and bent to get his shirt. He wiped his face on the wadded-up material before slipping it back on. Dax wanted to talk about it, but he was hesitant to bring up anything about mates when his brother had lost his. Shifters only had once chance to take a mate, one chance to produce cubs. Jett had had his, and now faced a life exactly as Rowan predicted Dax would: single, childless. Alone.
“Let me guess. She wants nothing to do with you.”
