Page 11 (1/2)

Chapter One

Rylan

We’re all sitting in the fire truck waiting for Blake as the alarm screeches in our ears

“Bye, lover,” Kiives her mate Westin a kiss I have to turn away

I’m happy for Westin but it’s hard to see all the happy couples around here when I’ of hands, every look, and every sh my heart that twists and twists and twists

“You’re not allowed on the truck,” I snap at her when the kiss goes on longer than I can handle

Kioodbye”

I know I should just shut up Let them enjoy their love Not be a total dick But I can’t

It’s been torture around here with all of theup First Ethan and Chloe, then it was Carter and Aubrey, and now Westin and Ki to do if Blake finds his mate before me

I’ve been feeling lonelier than ever and it’s starting to make me miserable I hate that I’m like this, but the pain has to come out somehow

“The alar,” I tell her “That means there’s an active fire That ”

It’s an assholeany to deal with it e’re on a job It’s the only tiet some peace

Blake co into the fire hall and leaps into the truck Carter is behind the wheel and takes off before our fire chief Blake can even close the door

I glance out theat Kier

She looks annoyed and I feel bad I like Ki her and Westin so happy this

My inner grizzly bear has been extra agitated lately I was up again all last night with hirumpy He wants our mate here by our side with our s

I want the sa as well, but it’s not in my control I try to tell hih his thick skull So, he drives me crazy instead

“What the hell was that, Rylan?” Westin asks as his eyes narrow onand Blake is beside hiive my mate a kiss before we head out on a job?”

I grit my teeth as I stare out theThe fall is here and the leaves are starting to change colors It’s gorgeous in Montana during these colorful weeks but all I’ colors They’re dying The selfish tree is sucking the nutrients back and the leaves are shriveling up and suffering a slow painful death

Westin kicksto you, asshole”

My eyes dart over to his “The alarm was on”

“So?”

“So, it’s protocol We have to stay focused on the task at hand”

“Waiting for Blake to get out of the bathroom?”

Blake turns around with the mention of his name “What happened?”

Ethan chuckles beside oodbye, but Rylan didn’t like it”

“He should be focused on the job,” I say with a little too much force in my voice Really, I should just shut up “And not on his mate’s tonsils”

“Fuck you, one too far “I’m always focused on every job It’s not like we’re headed to a five-alarm fire It’s a car accident”

“Whatever,” I mutter as I turn back to theI should have just kept my mouth shut

My bear starts gru insidewith the alaret there in no time

Shit It’s a big nothing burger

I was hoping for an intense fire, a radioactive spill, anything to getother than the fact that my mate is not in my life and may not be for another few decades

But instead, I got this A motorcyclist skidded off the road His bike is flipped over in the dirt and he’s sitting on the side of the two-lane expressith a few people around him Traffic is a mess There are four cars parked on the shoulder and everyone keeps slowing down in both directions to see what happened

“Rylan,” Blake shouts as we all pour out of the truck “You can take traffic duty Maybe that will calm you down”

He gives me a look and I just shakethelimpse of the upside-down motorcycle

They all want to see the wreck The disaster If they want to see a real wreck, they should be looking at me

Having all these mates around has really started to mess with me Even now on the job, when there’s no possible way I’ll findall arowling so loud that

“Shut the fuck up,” I hiss through my clenched teeth as I wave another car on

It’s bu the two-lane expressway now

My throat starts tingling and then it quickly builds to a burning I clear

What the fuck? Who the hell needs a new car? This s me

I look around but there’s no old beater with black s out of the exhaust

My grizzly starts going nuts He’s charging forward and trying to break out I flex rit my teeth, and force him back down He’s so powerful today tha

t he alh

“What are you doing?” The words come out all scratchy and broken My throat is on fire It feels like I sed a red-hot charcoal briquette

A blue car rolls by and the intense scent of the woers s wobble

I try to catch a gliirl inside but all I can see is blonde hair and a round shoulder

My bear tries to surge through again and I fall to a knee I take offlike a freakshow as I fight him back down

The next couple of cars that roll by are looking at me instead of at the accident I told you I was more of a wreck

Finally, I get my bear back down and it hits me like a slap in the face

That was my mate

The intense shhas turned into a warh me

My heart is pounding My pulse is racing

I have to find her I need to get her

The only probleone Once the traffic passes the accident, it picks back up and the cars zoom away

I look around in a panic I can’t lose her Not after I’ve spentfor her

I didn’t even get to see her beautiful face or curvy body Did she have a curvy body? I didn’t see…

I feel twitchy all over as I look around in a panic A brown car rolls by and I grab the door handle, trying to yank it open It’s locked The guy speeds off when he sees the panicked look in my eyes

The next three cars have locked doors as well I don’t knohat I even plan on doing… ripping the people out of their cars, getting behind the wheel, and going after her?

That’s crazy, but it’s the best idea I can think of

She’s getting farther away and I’m still here I start to feel sick I want to throw up

I look around and my breath stops when I see the crashed motorcycle It’s upside-down and covered with mud but I bet it still works

Without a second of hesitation, I sprint over to it

Carter is checking the motorcyclist for a concussion while they wait for the ambulance to arrive He looks at me funny as I run past him

“Maybe someone should check him for a brain injury,” I hear him say