Shadow of the Werebear King

A...Sleuth?!

---POV Ayame---

Saturdays!!! My favorite day of the week. I finally get to go into the city and enjoy volunteering at the women’s shelter we completed over two decades ago. Em and I love going there, and we’ve even got Lena to join in on the fun. I slipped on my dark blue jeans, a pair of black snow boots, and my favorite green sweater I swiped from Edon many years ago. I did tell them I enjoy wearing their clothes. It should not be a shock to them in any way that he never got it back. “Hey Angel. You ready to head out?” Vil asked, and I spun around to nod quickly.

“Yes!” I guess the smile on my face made him very happy. The ‘angry’ triplet seems to be a lot more relaxed now, but it’s been over thirty years together. It’s almost comical how I’d hoped we could at least get along. Now, I’m literally living my nirvana. I have no room to complain. Ever.

Helping me to my feet, he leaned down and kissed me softly, just like he and his brothers always have. I hummed into the warmth as the soft gesture turned more feverish.

“Mom!” I leaned back, fixing my gloss, to see Johnathan, Zach, and Marcus popping their heads into our room. Zach and Marcus are my youngest, a set of twins, while Johnathan is the middle child and, well…my oldest…um…. I sighed, as I didn’t see him behind Johnathan. What was I expecting?

We should never have let him go with his grandfather when he turned fifteen, but I couldn’t ignore the werebear council. My father needed an heir. We may live many decades past our human counterparts, but we are not immortal. As the years passed, he’d come by as much as he could. Every break from the academy and when he just needed a break, but when he got older…it became strained. Now…it’s been three years since I’ve seen him darken in our doorway. A call here and there, but nothing really to write home about. Is this our fault? “You know our son would never tell us if it was.” My wolf sighed and I winced.

“I don’t care. I just want to see him.” I whimpered back. What’s worse? Now, he’s too busy helping his dads with the business he and Johnathan will share when we retire and getting ready to be crowned the next king of the werebears in Bodhi Cora in a few months. He has enough on his plate. Yeah…a clingy mother is not helpful at all. So, I can try for the both of us. I’ll make sure to not let it get to me and remind myself that I’ll see him someday. He may have to live with his birthright, but Damon’s still our son, right?

“What’s wrong?” Johnathan pushed and Vil’s aura shifted as he held me tighter. Oh, it looks like I went into my own world again.

I shook my head and spun in his arms. “Nothing’s wrong, Johnathan. I was uh…I was just thinking about your brother for a second and got a little carried away.”

Johnathan’s face faltered. “Mom, he’ll be around. I’m sure of it. I know he misses everyone. He’s just busy, you know?” He added, and I knew he was just telling me what I wanted to hear.

“I can drag him here too, Angel.” Vil’s wolf growled, and I sighed, relieved at how much easier it is to…well…talk to everyone about my crazy thoughts.

“Now, now we don’t need all of that, sir.” I hummed back and he pinched me lightly.

“Don’t tempt me.” He snapped back and I blushed immediately. Let’s just say we may be older, but our romance never dwindled. That mate bond is not something to trifle with.

I cleared my throat. “Let’s head out. We have a lot to do today.” I reached up for one more kiss before heading to my kids in the doorway. Patting all three of their shoulders, I sighed towards them. I know Johnathan is far from a child, but even my teenagers are like giants. I could barely reach their shoulders, let alone their heads. Yep…I’m still the shortest. I walked down the stairs with them talking about everything and nothing while my wolf yipped in excitement, pulling me away from my worry. We have been so busy with the marketing campaigns this quarter that we haven’t had much time for breaks. “Alright you three. Remember what I said. If you want to come, you need to be careful. These women have been through enough as it is. No jokes or side comments. Johnathan already knows this much, but you two…this will be your first time and I want you to be polite.”

“Who’s been through enough?” Raven asked as she just appeared behind Zach, earning a rightful growl from my youngest. By about twenty minutes.

“Ravi, literally why? You have legs!” Zach shouted while she laughed lightly at the paled shock on his face.

“Because it still startles you to this day, and it’s fun.” She added. Sometimes I forget she’s the oldest.

“Even after all this time…. I still have to deal with her nonsense.” Zelena huffed from the bottom of the stairs.

“Auntie Lena!” The boys called and barreled into her. She laughed lightly and patted them all on their backs.

“Okay, okay, back off you little leeches!” Charlie called, trying to get my kids off his mate. “Get your own girlfriends.” He grumbled.

“Hey, we are only fifteen! We’re just children.” Marcus gasped playfully.

Charlie huffed. “Yeah, right. So, what’s your excuse, Johnathan? What are you now? Twenty-four?”

Johnathan cleared his throat and backed away. “Twenty-Six, and she makes me cake. I think that’s a fair excuse. I have my mate. I’m not interested in another one.”

Charlie shook his head in defeat, and I laughed lightly at the group of them. Once he noticed me, he walked up and patted my head. “Hey sis. You off to the shelter?”

“We all are. You boys are on kid duty.” Em called from the last stair.

“What kids?!” My twins shouted. They are the last of my kids and everyone else’s. We are starting to fall into grandparent territory now. I can’t blame them, but I just…can’t believe it. Over thirty years ago, I was tormented by a man that was out to get me just because he enjoyed having a toy to play with. I thought I had no family and no one to protect me. Then I found my mates, my father and my uncle. I couldn’t have asked for a better life than the one I have now. I couldn’t have because, even through all the pain and suffering to get to where we are, we made it to our happily ever after and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“For your information, Auntie Em, we are going with you.” Zach noted.

She gasped playfully and rolled her eyes. “I keep forgetting we have adults and teenagers now.” She rested her hand on her forehead, feigning a fainting spell, and I scoffed at her theatrics. The next oldest out of the monster group of children we produced is her son. Why does she keep doing this? Oh…because she’s Emily.

“Mom, one of these days, that won’t come as such a shock to you.” Maicoh said, shoving his hands in his pockets, appearing a few steps behind my beta female. Ravi teleported next to him and leaned into his chest. You would think he would be just as…boisterous as his parents, but shockingly to us all, he was the more chill of their little trio. Emily decided that one pup was enough, and she was happy with that fact.

“It really is quite fortunate that Ravi and Maicoh are a pair. Lucky them.” My wolf added with a chuckle. I don’t blame her. She’s right. This was quite the luck of the draw. They were close as children, but nobody expected they would be mates. The minute Maicoh turned eighteen, those two knew who they were to each other. Ravi was a bit shocked that her mate was almost four years younger than her, but they made it work. Now they are happily mated and enjoying their best life.

“I know right.” I called back. It was nice to have a wolf, and even to this day, I don’t regret my decision to keep her instead of receiving my previous spirit. When Uncle Rollo presented me with such an opportunity, it was hard to pass up, especially since I’d get my very own werebear spirit back, but I knew I had to do this for myself. It just…wouldn’t have been fair. And I was not giving up my triplets. The loves of my life. Not then and not ever.

“How about this? Zach and Marcus, I’ll take you two next weekend instead. Fair?” I asked as they groaned irritably, and Ravi clapped her hands happily. I know I promised them this time, but maybe I should have run it by everyone else first.

“Mom, you totally owe us.” Zach huffed through our link. I’m glad they want to help so badly. It’s good to know all four of my kids have grown up so well.

I smiled at my boys and their grumpy exteriors finally chipped as they buried me in a hug. “I’ll make you chocolate fudge cake when I get home. Just for you two.”

“Yes!” They both shouted, earning a laugh from me.

“Wait, that still includes Johnathan.” Em groaned irritably.

“Johnathan has been coming with us for years now. I’m not going back on that and this is the only time I’m making Zach and Marcus stay home. If they want to help, I will let them help.” I warned, and she huffed, giving up while she was ahead. I mean, Johnathan’s mate works at the shelter six days a week for Goddess’s sake. He’s not going to stop helping. Especially with her involved.

“Alright, alright. Let’s just go. Charlie, we will be back shortly. Let the guys know.” Lena said, and kissed her mate with so much love, you’d think they had met only days ago.

“You got it.” He waved back to us and headed towards the office. Since our family continued to grow, we actually expanded the pack house and many of us still live here, but I thought it was huge before, but now…now it’s just obnoxious, but at least there is a reason for all of this space.

Raven took a deep breath and raised her hands to create a portal. “See you soon.” Maicoh whispered to her before kissing her cheek and heading to the training grounds. The twins followed close behind him like two eager puppies. She blushed and nodded before we all walked into her portal to see the women’s shelter in Montreal. It was much busier than I remember and since we cater to those of the supernatural, it was unusual for anyone to know of its existence unless you are in need of it. I thank our coven of witches for that. We also have a human shelter too. So, I alternate between them both, but I usually go to that one alone. We are a bit conspicuous in the real world.

“Oh, thank the Goddess you all are here. We have an emergency!” One of the workers, Sam, and Johnathan’s mate, shouted as she pushed the hair away from her face and ran up to our group.

“What’s wrong?” Johnathan asked as his lycan fought to come forward.

She waved her hands up frantically. “No, nothing like that this time, Johnathan. It’s well…we just got a sleuth of werebears?”

“I’m sorry. A sleuth?! How many?” I asked in shock.

She bowed and smiled down at me. “About ten or so. They are all female, and they didn’t hesitate to let us know they aren’t part of any group. They are all rogues who thought it safer to band together than apart. They are from Alaska, Luna.” Sam said.

I tried to chime in to remind my daughter-in-law to call me by my name, but Lena beat me to something else entirely. “Alaska…. How did they end up all the way over here?” Lena pressed.

“They were running from the males of their rag-tag sleuth. They were starving when they got here, so I’m assuming the men tried to eat the cubs.” Sam said sadly.

“E-Eat the cubs?” Em added in pure shock. “That’s true too?!” I held back my laughter as she brought up my infamous catchphrase from my first months in Bodhi Cora, but in all honesty, this was quite daunting. Eating cubs only happens in the wild with wild animals and it should stay that way. It’s horrible that bears do that naturally, but when shifters do that…it’s just wrong.

However, rogue bears are not to be trifled with. They literally go wild. In the wild, if a male is hungry enough, they no longer see their children or mate as something to protect, they see it as something to keep them fed. It really is quite barbaric. “Did they actually live as bears more than humans?” I asked.

“Yes, they did. They said it was safer for their children that way, and they had just come out of hibernation, so…they knew it was imperative that they got away.” Sam concluded. I don't think that safety is working for them much.

Johnathan turned to me and the look on his face told me exactly what I was thinking, but I was the one who had to say it out loud. “This is out of our league. We need to call Edon, my dad, and…and Damon.”