Chapter 20: Xavier

Xavier stood in the dining room at his home, the Lodge, and glared at his crew. Nash stood against the
far dining room wall, arms crossed, head down. Lucas was brooding in the corner—nothing new there.
Jake sat at the table beside where he stood at the head position, twiddling his thumbs. And Harley was
slamming around in the fridge as if making more noise would somehow produce a cold beer even
faster.

No one looked at the resume lying on the center of the scarred dining room table. No one except
Xavier. He glared at the name of his potential hire for the millionth time: Kyra Gold. And then he glared
back at the rest of his crew.

Upstairs, he could hear the faint sounds of Laurel settling into her new room. Dresser drawers opened
and closed lightly, only audible because of his bear’s heightened senses. And with his temper flaring,
every damn sense was heightened.

“I didn’t figure my crew for a bunch of chauvinists,” Xavier said quietly. “Kyra’s the best candidate by
far. That should be what matters.” Xavier couldn’t remember the last time his crew had pissed him off
like this. Refusing a new hire because she was a woman was beneath them.

“What matters is keeping this crew intact,” Harley snapped, slamming the fridge and popping the top on
his beer.

“I hate to say it, but Harley’s right,” Lucas said, shaking his head slowly. “I’ve heard it over and over
again. A girl in the crew, not mated to one of us, I mean, is asking for trouble.”

Xavier gripped the chair tighter and glared at Lucas and then the rest. “This is insane. It’s the twenty-
first century, guys.”

“You’re practically drooling with pheromones, man. You want that DOT chick bad, and now with your
mating instincts kicking in, we’re all wondering if ours will too.” Harley said. “Thanks a fucking lot, by the



way. I definitely don’t need to be walking around sexually frustrated.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “Is that what’s happening, boss? I mean, I felt something different, but I guess I
just thought I missed the snow, the cold weather, ya know?”

Harley laughed, almost spewing beer. Lucas smiled but ducked his head before Jake could see.

Xavier sighed. He and Nash exchanged a look. “You can’t take it back,” Nash told him.

Xavier knew Nash meant his bear’s feelings for Laurel. He couldn’t take it back or make it go away. He
was too far gone. He knew it, and because Nash had an affinity for that kind of shit, Nash knew it too.

“I think we should meet her,” Jake said.

Xavier eased his grip, surprised. “You do?”

“Yeah.” Jake looked up at Xavier. “If we all meet her, then we’ll know, right?”

“Know what?” he asked.

Jake shrugged. “That none of us wants to mate her. She can just be one of the guys.”

Xavier rolled his eyes. “That shouldn’t even be a question.”

“But it is, and you know why,” Harley said with a pointed look.

Xavier considered playing dumb, but he knew it wouldn’t get him far. His guys knew him too well. And
even if they didn’t, the animal senses gave him away. “This is why you’re all worried about bringing a
girl in?” Xavier asked. All four of them nodded back at him. “Shit. This is all my
fault.”

way. | definitely don’t need to be walking around sexually frustrated.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “Is that what’s happening, boss? | mean, | felt something different, but | guess |
just thought | missed the snow, the cold weather, ya know?”

Harley laughed, almost spewing beer. Lucas smiled but ducked his head before Jake could see.
Xavier sighed. He and Nash exchanged a look. “You can't take it back,” Nash told him.

Xavier knew Nash meant his bear’s feelings for Laurel. He couldn't take it back or make it go away. He
was too far gone. He knew it, and because Nash had an affinity for that kind of shit, Nash knew it too.

“| think we should meet her,” Jake said.
Xavier eased his grip, surprised. “You do?”

“Yeah.” Jake looked up at Xavier. “If we all meet her, then we'll know, right?”

“Know what?” he asked.

Jake shrugged. “That none of us wants to mate her. She can just be one of the guys.”
Xavier rolled his eyes. “That shouldn't even be a question.”

“But it is, and you know why,” Harley said with a pointed look.

Xavier considered playing dumb, but he knew it wouldn't get him far. His guys knew him too well. And
even if they didn't, the animal senses gave him away. “This is why you're all worried about bringing a
girl in?” Xavier asked. All four of them nodded back at him. “Shit. This is all my

fault.”



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