Free Bear Necessities by Dana Marie Bell

Tabby was naked in this man’s bathroom?
    Hell
to the no.
    “Where’s
Tabby?” Bunny smiled, his fangs peeking out. Mine.
    Julian
rolled his eyes and snorted. “She’s getting dressed.” He pointed toward the
bathroom. “She even waited until she shut the door to start with the
nakedness.”
    Bunny’s
hands clenched. He owed the man, but still. That was his mate getting
naked in another man’s room. “Tabby?”
    “Yeah?”
Her muffled reply sounded amused.
    He
ground his teeth. “Are you done yet?”
    Julian
covered his mouth, no doubt hiding his laughter from the way his shoulders were
shaking. “Your mate thinks I’m going to sneak in there and ravish your lily-white
ass.”
    Bunny
relaxed a bit. The other man had just acknowledged Bunny’s right to Tabby. He
bowed his head in thanks, smiling back when Julian winked at him. The last
thing he wanted to do was rip into the man who not only was one of his mate’s
closest friends, but his cousin’s savior. Besides, Bunny hated fighting, but
he’d do it for Tabby. It was nice to know there wasn’t a need where Julian was
concerned.
    The
sounds behind the door had stopped. “He thinks what again?”
    “Face
it, hon.” Julian struck a dramatic pose. “You want me even more than you want
Legolas.”
    The
door opened. Tabby stepped out and Bunny’s tongue nearly hit the floor. Those
jeans looked painted on. “Of course. Legolas can’t do that thing you do with
your tongue and a cherry stem.”
    Bunny
sighed. He’d explore those jeans later. He turned his attention back to Julian.
“You need to die now.”
    Julian
laughed. “Nice to meet you, by the way.”
    Bunny
stepped forward and shook the hand Julian was holding out. He tried not to
frown. The man looked like hammered shit despite the front he was putting on.
“Alexander Bunsun. Call me Bunny.”
    The
Bear blinked, but didn’t say a word. “Julian Ducharme. Tabby and I are good
friends.”
    “I owe
you for what you did for my cousin.”
    Julian
grimaced. “I couldn’t leave her like that.” He shrugged. “Her pain pulled me
from three blocks away.”
    Tabby’s
hand rested on his shoulder, calming him even further. “Are you the one who
called it in to 9-1-1?” Good question. One that hadn’t been answered
yet, at least as far as Bunny knew.
    Julian
frowned and sat up straight. “No. They arrived just as I got there.”
    Tabby
and Julian exchanged a worried look. These two obviously had some history, and
his mate trusted the other Bear. He decided that was good enough for him. He
relaxed, settling into a chair next to Julian’s bed. “So who did call them?”
    “That’s
a good question.”
    Tabby
frowned. “I know just the man to answer that.” She pulled out her cell phone
and touched a number, then put the phone to her ear. “Hi, it’s Tabby. Can you
put me through to Gabe?”
    “Good
girl. I should have thought of that.”
    Bunny
frowned when Julian settled back against the head of the bed. “Thought of
what?”
    Tabby
moved to the door and opened it, stepping out into the hallway. “Hey, Gabe. Any
news on Chloe’s case?”
    Julian
folded his hands behind his head and crossed his ankles. “She’s friends with
the sheriff. She’ll get an answer out of him faster than anyone but his mate,
especially where Chloe’s concerned.” Julian gave him a speculative look. “She
may have lost her family in Georgia, but she found a new one here. You
understand?”
    Bunny
studied Julian and slowly nodded. Yeah, he understood. “Thank you again.”
    Julian
shrugged. “I’m not the only one. There are a number of people who would go to
bat for that girl without thinking twice about it. In fact, I think she’d be
surprised at how many would.”
    “Including
the Alpha?”
    “Not
sure, but I think so. From what I’ve seen, Max is pretty confident and he
trusts his hierarchy.”
    “And
if Gabe says she’s family, he’ll what? Accept that?”
    Julian
looked mysterious. A streak