Gray Back Broken Bear (Gray Back Bears Book 4) (11 page)

Last night was the last time she would sleep in this old house. Aviana zipped up her suitcase and pulled it off the rickety bed she’d slept in as a child. Inhaling deeply, she took one last look at the tiny cabin she’d shared with her parents all those years ago. As a child, this place had seemed huge, but that’s what childhood memories did. They warped reality, making everything seem bigger and grander from such a small point of view.

Tonight, she would be moving into an old singlewide trailer in the Grayland Mobile Park that the girls called “ten-ten” and swore was magic. She didn’t know what she was going to do there yet. Maybe she would teach shifter school when Rowan and the Ashe Crew kids were older. Or perhaps she would help Easton sell his knives and firewood. Or maybe she would reinvent herself completely and start a new adventure. She didn’t know. All she knew was that whatever happened next, it would be beside Easton.

Aviana set her suitcase by the door and pulled her cell out of her purse. She’d charged it in the car until the batteries were full because this call couldn’t get cut off. It was too important.

The floorboards of the porch creaked as she settled onto the top stair, and looked over the overgrown front yard. She kicked a rusted, bent nail with her flip-flop, thinking about what she would say to the people whose opinion meant the world to her.

How did she tell her parents she’d turned her back on her people?

Licking her lips, she scrolled through her contacts and found the number labeled
Home
. She made the call and bit her thumbnail as she listened to it ring and watched a trio of birds flit across the tall grass.

“Hello?” Dad answered.

“Dad?”

“Oooh, baby. What have you done?” Static blasted across the line, and Dad called in a muffled voice, “Marta, it’s her. Pick up the other line.”

The line clicked. “Aviana?” Mom asked.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Honey, are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. More than fine. I just… I have to tell you both something important.”

The line went quiet. Aviana’s pulse pounded hard thinking about how thoroughly she was about to break their hearts. Their only child, denouncing her people for a crew of bears.

“Go ahead,” Dad said low.

Aviana swallowed hard and blew out a long, shaky breath. “Mom, Dad, I found Easton. I told Caden no on the courtship because the cub I knew all those years ago has grown into a good man. A man who will make me happy and give me a life full of love. I belong with him.” Her throat tightened over the words. “I belong with Easton and his people.”

“Oh, honey,” Mom said, “we know.”

Perhaps Aviana had heard her wrong. “I’m sorry…what?”

“Caden sent some of his people to watch you. He forwarded us a picture of you sitting in a bar with a man with green eyes. Your father recognized him right away.”

“You knew?”

“We just wanted to give you a chance to tell us when you were ready,” Mom said.

Dad was so quiet though, he must be angry. That’s how he got when he was really mad. He holed up into himself where no one could reach him.

“Dad, I’m sorry.”

“No, baby,” Dad said, his words broken. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I pulled you away from that boy when I knew you’d bonded with him. Even as young as you were, you cared deeply for him, and I didn’t listen. I watched you wither for years. I watched you never connect with any of our people. I watched your face when we got the news that Caden wanted to court you. I hoped you would be happy, but you had this doomed look in your eyes. It’s something a parent never wants to see in their child. I was wrong to separate you from Easton. And I hope…” Dad cleared his throat. More softly, he said, “I hope that someday you can forgive me.”

Aviana bit her lip so hard she tasted iron. She couldn’t fall apart now. “Dad, there’s nothing to forgive. I love you both so much. I know you’ll have to stop talking to me after I’m shunned—”

“Oh, no we won’t,” Mom said defiantly. “Honey, we’ve already been shunned.”

“What?”

“We told Caden where he could shove his threats, and it was where the sun don’t shine. It was a decision we both made solely based on that picture.”

“Why did you do that?”

“Because,” Dad said, “in the picture you were smiling like we haven’t seen you do since you were a kid. If our people want to banish us for supporting our daughter’s happiness, so be it. Living an empty life with Caden isn’t what we want for you. We want that smile you had in the picture. The one you get with Easton.”

All choked up by her parents’ sacrifice, Aviana asked, “Will you visit me? I want you to meet all of the Gray Backs. They’re lovely, and so nice. Scary, but protective and fierce, and the women are so important in this crew. I feel stronger. And my alpha and his mate have a brand new baby. Oh, she’s so tiny and cute. And I want you to meet the man I’ve fallen in love with. Easton is wild and powerful, but he’s also sweet and takes care of me. He makes me happy. I want you to see how he’s turned out, and then you won’t have to worry about me living with bears anymore. He protects me. Always.”

She could hear the smile in Mom’s voice when she said, “Of course. We can’t wait to meet Easton and all of your new crew.”

“Yes,” Dad murmured. “We’re looking forward to seeing the old cabin again and seeing you with your…mate. Bear pairs are called mates, right?”

Aviana laughed thickly and hugged the phone tighter to her ear. “Yes.” It still made her giddy to hear that word.

“We’re happy you’ve found your place, Aviana,” Mom said, sounding proud. “Our brave little raven. We love you.”

“I love you both, too. So much.”

“Okay, honey. We’ll talk soon. Let us know when you settle enough for visitors.”

“I will.”

“Bye-bye now,” Dad said.

“Bye,” Aviana said on a happy sigh before she hung up.

She smiled down at the screen of her phone for a long time, looking at her reflection. It
was
there. Dad was right. It was a smile she didn’t remember seeing before. A toothy one, given freely and easily. One conjured by the joy Easton had put back into her heart. Her parents had been shunned because of her decision to chase love, yet they hadn’t made her feel guilty over it. Instead, they’d been happy that she’d found what she’d been searching for.

Excited, Aviana ran back inside and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. After one last look around the cabin, she closed the door and dragged her luggage to her car.

The Gray Back Crew was cooking a big meal tonight. Hot wings with beer to celebrate her moving into 1010. Now she didn’t have to go with a heavy heart that she’d hurt her parents. She could her life with her new crew and the man she loved.

Now, her future with Easton stretched on and on.

She was free.

****

Aviana searched the woods for her Easton to make sure he hadn’t gotten off work early, but the woods were empty save the evening birds flitting back to their nests and the cicadas singing their rattling song. This was the game. Sneaking little trinkets for her love, surprise gifts to make up for the years she hadn’t been able to find shiny presents and give them to him. Today, she’d found a silver bead along a hiking trail miles away.

Easton always gave her dimple smiles when she found him something to tuck away in his tackle box of treasures under his bed.

In the last two weeks, Aviana had settled into life at the Grayland Mobile Park. Creed and Gia were now parenting tiny Rowan, and the Gray Backs were all smitten. Willa had her worm farm in full swing for the fishing season, and Georgia had her woods to protect. Evenings were spent eating together as a crew and laughing into the night. Yesterday, Easton had shared with his beloved Gray Backs the story of how he’d slowly lost his humanity, and there had been not a single dry eye as he finished with how he’d felt the day he’d found out Aviana was his raven.

She was so damned proud of her brave broken bear.

The Gray Backs still fought like titans and bled each other regularly, but that was unlikely to ever change. It’s just how her crew was, but that didn’t mean they didn’t care about each other. These people, who she’d been so afraid of all her life, would die for each other in a heartbeat. And now she was included in that circle of safety. In the same measure, she would give anything for her people, whom she’d grown to love indescribably much.

Shiny silver bead in her beak, Aviana swooped down to the windowsill where she always dropped his gifts. It was the single window to his workshop, just like the sill she’d dropped that first folded paperclip onto. It had a small split in the wood for balancing round objects, and as she landed on the ledge to drop her treasure there, she drew up short.

There was already something silver and shiny in the crease.

The bead fell from her mouth and rolled to the ground as she realized what it was.

It was a ring.

Glittering diamonds encircled the band, and in the center setting was a gift she would never forget. It was the diamond she’d given him all those years ago—her final present before she’d left.

She scanned the woods, and her gaze landed on Easton, leaning against a tree as if he’d been there all along, arms crossed and eyes glowing in the waning evening light.

Aviana pushed off the window ledge and tucked her crow away into her human skin. “Easton,” she whispered, tears burning her eyes.

Slowly, he approached, eyes never leaving hers. With a slight smile, he plucked the ring from the windowsill and dropped to both knees in the dirt.

“You saved me—”

“I didn’t.” He’d saved himself.

“You
did
.” His eyebrows lifted as he leveled her with a serious look. “You are patient and caring and understanding, even when I’m confused. You go out of your way to make me feel cared for and appreciated.” He swallowed hard and lifted the ring. “I never want you to leave me again.”

Aviana fell forward and hugged his shoulders up tight. “I would never leave you, Easton. You’re mine.”

He rocked her gently, rubbing her back. “Soft and full of tears,” he whispered.

“It’s too much,” she murmured as she eased back and looked at the ring.

“It’s not. You like shiny things, and I told you, I have the means to take care of you. What do you say, Ana? Will you marry me?”

An emotional smile stretched her face, and she nodded as the first tear slipped to her cheek. “Yes, Easton. I’ll marry you.”

“I’ll make you happy,” he promised as he slipped the ring onto her finger. “I’ll always keep trying to be better for you.”

She shook her head and cupped his cheeks, lifting his wild gaze to hers. “You’re already perfect for me.”

Nerves fluttered in Aviana’s stomach like butterfly wings. “You look grumpy.”

Easton’s frown deepened as he hooked his arm over the steering wheel of his pickup and gassed it up a steep hill. “I just don’t understand why those assholes couldn’t wait five minutes. I told them I was running late.”

Yeah, he’d been late because she might or might not have hidden all his work jeans in the back of his closet. She’d needed to buy the crew a little bit more time, though, so desperate times and measures and all.

“Are you sure you aren’t going to get bored today?” he asked. “It’s hot, and watching us strip lumber won’t be any fun. And why are you wearing those contraptions?” He looked pointedly at her wedge heels she’d worn to match her pastel pink sundress.

“I want to look pretty for you.”

“Ana, you look pretty in whatever you wear. Those pokey shoes aren’t safe to wear out on the landing. You could break an ankle. And put a hard hat on.” His bear growled a long rattling sound in his chest as he reached into his back seat, then handed her a yellow hat. He dragged his gaze back to the switchback he was maneuvering and added, “Please.”

She was trying her best to hide a smile. Easton was overprotective, no matter how hard he tried not to be. His bear’s instincts got kicked up easily, and she secretly adored that he fussed over her safety.

She did as he asked and settled the hat on her head. It was going to mess up her curls, but that was okay. Pursing her lips, she fiddled with her engagement ring, twisting it back and forth. She couldn’t help but watch him. They were almost there, and all of the secret hard work was about to pay off. She hoped.

Easton shot her a suspicious glance, then pulled his attention back to the last big hill before they reached the landing. When the old Ford crested the top, Easton eased off the gas as his eyes went round.

The landing was full of people, all waiting for him.

“What is this?” he asked as he pulled to a stop in front of the crowd.

“They’re all here for you.”

“For me?”

She swallowed her emotions down and whispered, “Today is our wedding day.”

Easton let off a small gasp and blinked hard at her before he looked at their wedding guests again. “Did you beg them to come?”

“No, Easton. They came because they care about you.”

He pushed open the door and stood beside his truck, staring at the crowd and looking shocked to his bones.

Mom was crying from where she and Dad stood with the Gray Backs, front and center. Willa let off a shrill whistle and began clapping. The others joined in, cheering and whooping. Tagan and his Ashe Crew were there behind the Gray Backs, along with Kong and his Lowlanders and Harrison and his Boarlanders. Even Clinton was there with his new crew, looking emotional as he clapped with the others. Damon Daye stood off to the side, holding his great-granddaughter, Rowan, as Creed stood beside him, smiling proudly at Easton.

Aviana walked around the front of the truck and nudged his side. “What do you say? You want to marry me today?”

Easton was nodding over and over as his eyes rimmed with emotion.

“Good,” she said, tugging his hand toward the Ashe Crew’s alpha. Tagan was certified to perform ceremonies, and when she’d braved the Asheland Mobile Park to ask him to officiate the wedding, he and his crew had offered to help her and the Gray Backs plan everything.

She wiped her damp lashes with the back of her hand as she led Easton to the edge of the landing where her parents had decorated the machinery with white ribbons and oversized bouquets of wildflowers.

“Before we start,” Tagan said, “your alpha wants to say a few words.”

Creed stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Easton, from the day you asked me to take you into my crew, I knew you were special. I knew you had greatness in you. When I came up with our name, the Gray Backs, I named us for you and your silver bear because I knew you had potential to be the best of us if you just put in the work. And over the past couple of years, I’ve watched you grow and open up in ways that I couldn’t imagine when I first saw you, wild-eyed and barely in control. And now you’ve found Ana, and I’m so damned proud when I see how well you treat her. How hard you try with the rest of us now.” Creed nodded, dark eyes filling. “And today, I can say I was right. You really are the best of us. You turned out to be one of my best friends and a man I admire deeply for never giving up. I’m so happy for you, man.” His voice cracked on the last word, and he turned as Gia handed him a thick brown envelope.

As Creed ripped open the sealed flap, Easton hugged Aviana tightly against his side and seemed completely overwhelmed with emotion as he tossed her hardhat to the ground. He kissed her hairline and let his lips linger there.

“Easton, your mate came to me and told me you’ve always wanted to visit someplace far away. And I know you don’t think you’re ready to go alone, or even just with Aviana, but we all chipped in and…well…here.” He handed Easton the opened envelope.

Easton’s chin trembled as he pulled the itinerary out and scanned the first couple of pages. “The Grand Canyon?” he whispered as he lifted a disbelieving gaze to Creed.

“We’re all going with you, man. All of your crew. Your people. Your friends. We’ll take you there and make sure you stay in control. Damon has given us the entire week off, so we’re leaving tomorrow morning. Easton…” Creed said, gripping his shoulders and shaking him slowly. “It’s going to be amazing.”

“Oh, man. I just—far away?” Easton fumbled his words as he hugged Creed hard and clapped him on the back. “Thank you.”

“All right, let’s get these two hitched,” Tagan said through a grin. “The reception barbecue is getting cold.”

Aviana laughed thickly and squared her shoulders up to Easton, then took his hands in hers.
You ready
, she mouthed.

Easton’s glowing eyes were certain as he nodded.

Tagan’s words were loud and clear, echoing across the landing when he said, “We are gathered here today to witness the matrimony of Aviana King and Easton Novak.”

“No,” her mate said low, searching her eyes. “It’s not Easton.” A slow smile spread across his face. “It’s Beaston.”