Too bad he couldn't peel rubber from this place. That would have been a nice touch. Instead, he leaned against Stripper's truck and waited for the guy to come out.

It didn't take long. "Wilbur, will you listen for a second?"

"No." Wilbur crossed his arms over his chest. "I might have liked hanging out with you because you were fun and exciting, but now you're asking me to cross into the weird and supernatural. It's time I got off this crazy train and took my ass home."

"You're just full of sarcasm, aren't you?"

Wilbur shrugged. "My soul was removed to make room for it." He kicked his toe into the pavement and cursed the fact that he'd fallen in love with Stripper. He should have known, with a name like that, the guy was trouble. He bet fate was getting a good laugh at him right now. Wilbur had drooled over handsome men since he'd realized he was gay. Now that he finally had a hot guy to call his own, he found that he'd gotten a mental one.

Wilbur turned slightly so Stripper wouldn't see the tears threatening to spill. The thought of breaking up with Stripper hurt so damn badly that he wanted to curl into a ball and cry, but he'd wait until he was home for that. And here he thought he'd finally found someone who understood him, who accepted him. The center of his chest ached so much it felt as if something were crushing him.

"Wilbur." Stripper stepped closer, cocooning Wilbur against the truck. His hands framed Wilbur's face as he smiled. "If I can prove to you that I'm telling the truth, will you listen to me then?"

He tried to move away, but Stripper was standing too close, holding him in place. The man tilted Wilbur's head back until he was staring into those gorgeous hazel eyes. He felt as if he were staring into his very own soul.

"Come with me." Stripper grabbed Wilbur's hand and led him behind the small clinic. There were woods lining the edges and a large Dumpster. A few cars were parked back there as well. He should have been scared to follow Stripper after finding out he wasn't playing with all his marbles, but he still trusted the guy. Maybe Wilbur was nutty as well.

When Stripper led him toward the woods, Wilbur tried to pull his hand away. "What are you doing?"

Stripper held firm to Wilbur's hand. "Showing you that I'm a bear."

This should be interesting. Wilbur was expecting the guy to grunt a lot and maybe roll around on the ground, but what he hadn't expected was for Stripper to start taking his clothes off.

"You want to have sex in the woods?" Wilbur wasn't sure that was a good idea.

Stripper winked at him as his blond hair glistened in the sun. "No, I don't want to ruin my clothes. The truck has leather seats and certain parts would stick to the leather."

Made sense.

As soon as the guy was naked, Wilbur's cock began to fill. He couldn't help it. Stripper was one hell of a gorgeous man to look at-especially when he was naked. The guy was all thick lines, perfect proportions, and cut in all the right places.

Wilbur licked his lips, remembering how good Stripper tasted in his mouth. The man chuckled and shook his head, reminding Wilbur of a shy, innocent boy. But Stripper was anything but. The guy fucked like a dream and had seen too much in life to ever be considered either innocent or a boy. But that was how he looked to Wilbur.

"Okay," Wilbur said as he tossed his hands in the air. "Change into a fierce bear." He was going to take Stripper back inside when this was over and see if he couldn't schedule the man a psych appointment. Maybe with the right amount of meds, Stripper could be normal.

"And if I shift, what do I get?" Stripper asked as he moved farther back into the woods. Stupidly, Wilbur followed.

Wilbur tapped his chin, trying to think of something good. Stripper wasn't going to shift into a bear, so he had to make sure this bargain was worth his while. "If you shift, I'll believe anything you tell me. No arguments."

Stripper nodded, seeming pleased.

"But if you don't," Wilbur continued, "then-" He started to say he wanted to go home and Stripper to never contact him again. But Wilbur couldn't push the words past his lips. He couldn't bring himself to sever the bond between them. The pain of never seeing Stripper again returned, and Wilbur had to clear his throat several times before he could speak. "If you don't shift, then you'll seek professional help for your delusions." He thought of one more thing and added, "And you'll do a full striptease for me. I want the whole shebang."

"Wait," Stripper said, frowning. "I want the same thing if I can prove-"

"Too late," Wilbur said quickly. "The deal is already closed." There was no way on earth he was stripping for his lover. Wilbur owned two left feet. He'd fall over the first time he twirled around.

"Fine," Stripper said. "But promise me one thing."

Wilbur sighed. "Depends." His skin tingled, and his heart started beating faster when Stripper walked over to him. The man's body flexed, his muscles rippled, and Wilbur was close to begging the man to take him right here in these woods.

"Don't be afraid, okay?"

It took a second for Stripper's words to register. Wilbur was too busy staring at the man's cock. "Okay."

"My eyes are up here." Stripper pointed to his face.

"Uh-huh." Wilbur nodded but kept staring at the man's thick shaft. His body began to come alive, to burn for one touch, a kiss, a caress. He shivered as his own cock started thickening.

"I think I've created a monster," Stripper said and then backed away. "Just remember not to be frightened. It's just me. I promise."

"Yeah, yeah." Wilbur was done talking about something that wasn't going to happen. He wanted sex. Now that was a real possibility. He shifted from one foot to the other, wondering if he should get naked as well. If they were going to be out in the woods, might as well make it fun.

Wilbur blinked a few times when hair started to sprout all over Stripper's body. The man fell to all fours as he twisted, his body reshaping. Wilbur stumbled backward, falling on his ass. He tried to scoot away when a large brown bear stood in Stripper's place. This couldn't be possible. Stripper couldn't have transformed into...could he have? Wilbur tried to slow his racing heart. It was beating way too fast, and that wasn't good for him. He started to feel lightheaded as the bear moved toward him.

Wilbur grabbed for a stick and shook it in front of him. "Fetch." He tossed it aside, praying the bear went after it so he could run away. But the bear shook himself as if trying to dispel water from his fur.

"I'm trying," Wilbur said as his fingers curled into the earth beneath him. "I'm really trying not to freak out. Could you please change back? My heart is beating way too fast."

Stripper instantly shifted back into his human form and hurried over to Wilbur. "Breathe, beautiful. Calm down. I know it's a lot to take in, but you have to regulate your breathing."

That was easier said than done. If the guy was telling the truth about being a bear, then Wilbur really was...his heart started speeding up again. Stripper quickly dressed and then scooped Wilbur from the ground, rushing him back inside the clinic.

All Wilbur could think about was what Doctor Gallagher had said. Wilbur was going to have a baby. He couldn't even take care of a goldfish. Harry was still alive thanks to Stripper taking care of the fish. How on earth was Wilbur going to care for a child? What if he woke one morning and the baby was belly up, no more bubbles?

No, that wasn't right. Wilbur knew children didn't live in water, but his mind was racing in every direction. Strange and crazy thoughts were plaguing him.

"What's wrong?" Doctor Gallagher asked when Stripper rushed inside with Wilbur in his arms.

"I showed him that I could shift, and now his heart is beating too damn fast."

The doctor took them to the back and placed an oxygen mask over Wilbur's face as he started an IV. Wilbur tried to push the man's hands away, but the doctor was a lot stronger than he looked. Wilbur hated needles. He winced when the IV needle slid into his arm.

"I'm going to give you something to settle down," the doctor said. "It isn't strong, but it should help you relax."

Wilbur wished the man would stop talking and give it to him already. Doctor Gallagher left the room but was back in seconds, a syringe in his hand. He pushed the medicine into the IV and then began to exam Wilbur. "It's already going to be taxing carrying a child. You need to learn some relaxation techniques, Wilbur."

Wilbur stuck his thumb up when he felt the medicine take effect. He smiled over at Stripper and then closed his eyes. He didn't fall asleep and could still hear everything around him.

"I have a feeling he'll be on bed rest the last trimester," the doctor said to Stripper. "I don't like the fact that he's having a child so soon after heart valve surgery."

The room grew silent as Wilbur's body went lax. He'd never been this content in his life. All his worries and all his fears drained from him. He wasn't floating along but he was damn close.

"Is there a chance I could lose Wilbur?" Stripper's voice filled Wilbur's mind, and he smiled at the deep and masculine sound. He loved Stripper's voice. It was soothing and, at times, downright sexy.

"I'm not going to lie," the doctor said. "There's always a chance with childbirth. And with Wilbur's condition, it's hard to say."

"I can't lose him, Gallagher. My mother sacrificed her own life to bring me to full term. I can't let Wilbur do the same. I won't live without my mate."

Wilbur frowned. Was that true? Was his brain muddled, or was he hearing Stripper correctly? He tried to pull at his mask, to tell Stripper he wasn't going anywhere, but his fingers felt too thick, and he couldn't get the dang thing off.

"Just keep a close eye on him, and I'll make sure he has regular exams. We'll watch him and the child closely."

Wilbur stopped trying to struggle to get the mask off and settled into a deeper calm. The medicine was doing its job because he soon felt himself starting to drift off to sleep.

Chapter Eleven.

T-Rex, Shott, Sam, and Mason ducked low when Reno exited the building. Shott wanted to jump out of the SUV and go after the man. Damn it if he didn't look like Wilbur. Shott could see how Stripper had confused the two. Reno had the same spiky reddish-brown hair, the same build, and they even walked the same.

Only Reno was dressed in a business suit and was carrying a briefcase. The man looked up and down the street and then slid into a dark sedan sitting close to the building before taking off.

T-Rex followed.

As his team leader drove, Shott and Sam locked and loaded their weapons. Shott couldn't get Bill out of his mind. He had sent Wilbur to his friend, and Bill had ended up dead because Shott had asked for help. That thought festered in his mind as they turned corners and stopped at lights. Bill hadn't been an angel, not by a long shot, but he was always there when a friend needed help, always had someone's back.

And Reno had killed the man. Shott prayed he didn't shot the son of a bitch when he finally got his hands on the man.

Reno was being cautious. He drove down alleyways and semi-deserted streets, but T-Rex outmaneuvered the man, catching him a block or two over so he wouldn't be spotted. The day was growing late, and the traffic became thicker with people leaving work. But they were good at what they did and hadn't lost sight of Reno once.

They'd tailed the man to Burgess Street, where Reno pulled over and went inside a greasy dive, the signs announcing they had the best Philly cheesesteaks. T-Rex slid into an empty spot along the curb a few cars down and waited.

Shott sat there, his elbow resting on the door, rubbing his index finger and thumb over his chin as his eyes stayed fixated on the shop.

"Go inside and order something," T-Rex said to Sam. "I don't want Reno slipping out the back door."

T-Rex gazed at Shott from the rearview mirror. The man's blue eyes held a wealth of information and knowledge, as if T-Rex knew sending Shott in there was a bad idea. T-Rex was right. Shott had a personal stake in this. He would've gone into that busy shop and slipped past Reno while sliding a knife between the man's ribs.

He would've been in and out of there before anyone was the wiser. Instead, he sat back and took a long breath as he tried to convince himself that the main objective was not to kill Reno but to bring the man in for justice.

A punctured lung would've been justice.

Mason sat on the other side of Shott, gazing out of the window. But he wasn't watching the shop. The guy was watching some twink who was standing by the SUV, waiting patiently as his small dog sniffed around.

Reno exited the shop. Seconds later, Sam walked out, a takeout bag in his hand. When Sam slid back into the SUV, he tossed the bag back to Mason. "Now you won't eat our cattle."

Shott smirked as the smell of caramelized onions filled the interior. Mason wasted no time polishing off the sandwich as they began to follow Reno once more.

"Don't you dare get any food on my seats," T-Rex said. "I usually don't allow anyone to eat in here."

"What food?" Mason said with a grin as he balled the wrapper up and tossed it back into the bag, licking his lips. The sandwich had been eaten that quickly.

They drove to a deserted warehouse lot and eased into a spot at the side of a brick building with its cracked and shattered windows and decaying wood doors. Reno had driven inside.

As T-Rex pulled the SUV to a stop amid a broken-down truck, stacked crates, and old machinery, he looked in the rearview mirror at Mason. "I want you to stay here and let us know if Reno attempts to escape."

"In other words," Mason said, "since I don't have any training, keep my ass planted."

"That about sums it up." T-Rex slid from the driver's seat as Shott and Sam got out as well. Shott wanted to ask why they had brought Mason along in the first place, but there were on total silence now. Each of them slipped an earpiece in that would sync with their watches.

T-Rex signaled for Sam to take the front of the building as Shott and T-Rex slid around back.

Stripper stood by the open French doors, gazing out over the ranch as the sun began to set. Wilbur was asleep in the bed, curled under the sheet. After the sedative had worn off at the doctor's office, Stripper had brought his mate home. But Wilbur hadn't said a word the entire ride. Once here, Wilbur had crawled into bed and gone to sleep.

And now here Stripper stood, his gut twisted into tight knots as he wondered what to do. He'd left home as soon as he'd turned eighteen to join the service.

After joining, Stripper had been recruited into the Special Forces where he trained alongside T-Rex, Sam, Colton, Shott, and Legend. Stripper had taken to his training like a fish to water. He was a natural. He'd traveled all over the world and had been in many life-and-death situations.

He'd been stabbed, had guns shoved in his face, been nearly blown up a few times, and faced the worst of the worst. Yet a small slip of a man had the power to break Stripper, to make his world come crashing down around him.

Stripper stepped out onto the porch, curling his fingers around the railing. He wasn't going to lose Wilbur, but he wasn't sure how to keep the man safe. He was facing the toughest decision of his life. They could abort the baby and try again later when Wilbur was stronger. But the thought nearly sent Stripper to his knees.

He knew he couldn't live with the decision to kill his own child. He couldn't. But then where did that leave Wilbur? The man's heart might not be able to take the stress of pregnancy and childbirth.

"Why are out here naked?"

Stripper turned to see Wilbur standing in the doorway, a sheet draped around him. Stripper's heart clenched at the sight. He held his hand out, and Wilbur came to him. Stripper enveloped the man in his arms and held him close. "Just thinking."

He smoothed his cheek over Wilbur's short, reddish-brown hair, luxuriating at the contact. He never wanted to know what it would be like without his mate. Stripper was starting to understand what his father had gone through after losing his mate. Wilbur was still here, yet Stripper felt that undeniable sense of loss. He knew it was nothing close to what his father felt, but having even a small taste threatened to shatter him.

"I heard what you said to the doctor," Wilbur said as he slid his hands around Stripper, the sheet surrounding them both. "Did your mother really do that?"

"The doctors had warned her," Stripper said, unable to look at Wilbur for fear that he would fall apart. "But she was determined to have a child."

"And you're afraid the same will happen to me," Wilbur surmised.

"Terrified." Stripper normally didn't confess to any weak feelings, but this was Wilbur, his mate. This was the one man he would allow himself to be vulnerable around. This was the one person he would allow close enough to see his demons.

Wilbur rubbed his cheek against Stripper's bare chest, as if he, too, needed the contact. "I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this. I'm still trying to understand how all of this is possible."

"It still sometimes baffles me," Stripper said. "I grew up knowing I was a bear shifter, and yet there are times when it still truly amazes me."

"I don't have female parts," Wilbur pointed out. "How am I going to carry this baby?"

Stripper smiled at the perplexity in Wilbur's tone. "That's a question for the doctor. I'm afraid I still don't understand how it's possible. But more than one man has been pregnant in this house, so I know it can be done."

Wilbur pulled back slightly and gazed up at Stripper. God, those green eyes were so magical. Stripper could lose himself in them. He cupped Wilbur's face and laid a gentle kiss on the man's lips. "I think I've fallen in love with you."

Wilbur's eyes widened slightly before they filled with a scorching heat. Stripper felt his mate's shaft growing hard as they stood there. A teasing smile appeared on Wilbur's face. "You're just saying that because you knocked me up."