Bear rolled his honey-brown eyes. “At least I understood the vipers you picked up. If your dreams are true, your mate is a dangerous chick who will try to kill you. But this human female? She’s helpless and has no business being in the middle of a bunch of shifters. Humans can’t find out about us. What if one of the cubs gets drunk and shifts into a bear? We’d have to kill her.”
Garrett rose to his full height, his chest expanding. “Nobody touches her. Period.”
Sam’s dark eyebrows lifted. “Wow. That was a full-on Kayrs alpha male movement there.” He looked at Bear. “And you’re so full of crap. You’d never hurt a human female.”
Bear lowered his chin. “Maybe not, but I’d still lock her down in Grizzly territory so she couldn’t inform the rest of the world about us.”
Sam nodded. “As would I. She’s human, G. You can’t mate her.”
Like he didn’t know that. “No shit.”
Bear grunted. “That’s it. We knew he’d go and lose his mind at some point. Here it is. Brain mush.”
Garrett nearly swung at the Grizzly leader. “I just want to help her.”
Bear snorted. “Yeah. I heard her screaming your name last night. You sure as shit helped her. Like, at least five times.”
“You’re about to get hit, Bear.” Garrett once again gave a warning when he just wanted to act. Was he mellowing? Damn it.
A loud ding came from Sam’s backpack, and he drew out a tablet, then glanced down. “It’s Chalton.”
“He said he’d call. Why do you have my tablet?” Garrett moved around the table and shoved himself between the two males, taking the tablet and standing it up on the worn wood. Chalton Reese showed up, his blond hair ruffled and his eyes serious.
Sam shrugged. “Honor borrowed it to watch a movie last night. Figured you were too busy to ask.”
Garrett ignored the dig. “Hey, Chalton. Thanks for calling in.”
Chalton nodded. As the chief computer expert for the entire Realm, a coalition of immortal species, he no doubt didn’t have time to conduct background checks on a human. But he and Garrett went way back. “I just have a moment. A deep dive on Destiny Applegate was kind of interesting, to be honest.”
Garrett sat straighter. “How so?”
“The info you texted about her boarding schools is accurate. So far, everything checks out, but I’ll keep looking. Also, the info you sent about her family is true. Parents died and left a fortune, most of which is hers. The loving aunt has put out a hit on the girl.” He said it so casually that it took Garrett a second to compute. “Went with one human guy, paid cash, and he hired two buddies. They’re on your tail. In fact, the hitman’s in Tahoe and should be arriving at the campsite any minute, although I assume it’ll take some time to find you all. I’m sending his picture to your phone.”
Garrett’s phone buzzed. He didn’t ask how Chalton had found out about the hit, or how he knew the location of the human hitman. Chalton was the best, and his equipment far outclassed any human computer. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” Chalton looked over his shoulder and then refocused. “Your girl also seems to have a death wish. I have records of her hang gliding, jumping out of airplanes, bungee jumping, and getting arrested, or rather getting caught up in a bar fight.”
The woman was trying to condense a lifetime of risk and living into a few months. Garrett sighed. “Thanks.” He was going to put an end to that right now.
Chalton cleared his throat. “I’m also sending all of Destiny’s medical records. It appears that she’s traveled west since graduation and has seen different medical experts along the way. Before you ask, I’ve sent the records to our doctors as well. Figured you’d want their input.”
Garrett nodded. His friend was the best. “Does it all look legit?”
“The credentials for the doctors all check out so far, but a deeper dive is probably needed,” Chalton said. “Do you want me to have a Realm team investigate?”
Bear shook his head. “No. This is Grizzly business.”
Chalton’s facial expression didn’t change, but his eyes sparked. “If this has to do with the nephew of the King of the Realm, I believe it is Realm business. All due respect.”
“He’s a Grizzly,” Bear growled.
“He’s probably the Realm’s future king,” Chalton snapped.
Sam chuckled. “He’s also a member of the Seven.”
Garrett failed to see the humor. Could one guy have multiple allegiances? Once again, conflicting loyalties pulled him in three directions.
Chalton’s eyes narrowed. “Are we finally going to talk about the Seven?”
