Her Tortured Bear

Chapter 7

Salem looked at Seb, his father with a grim look on his face. It was almost like as if his face was set in stone. And chiseled and carved out from granite.

“Two nights back,” was the reply.

“And what was the sudden reason of having this conversation? I mean, you are perfectly fit and fine and you are absolutely in sound health and you have been the greatest leader since like forever. Then what the f**k is wrong dad?” asked Salem as he was now fuming with rage, and his rage was unbridled and since he was a child everyone was scared of his fury.

“Salem! You are in your sister’s home and you should know when to speak what and when too speak not. This is not the time or the place to discuss something of this gravity but you have to know this that the Pack Council wants to have a friendly relations with the neighbouring pack of the black bears whose leader have a young daughter of marriageable age. They think that once you take her as mate they will be bound to subdue before us and then you are the Pack Leader, next in line so that will be a positive advantage for us,” said Seb as he looked at his son whose face was a mask of something that he could not understand properly.

“And who are they to decide whom I should take mate and when I am going to do that? Huh?” asked Salem as his voice was slightly more than that of a whisper and Jordan realized that he was almost on the edge now and it would be very dangerous to say anything else at all.

“Seb I think it is fine. Salem understands everything and he will talk to you about this later,” said Jordan as he glared at his father-in-law who sighed and nodded his head.

“No Jordan. There is nothing to think about this and there is nothing too discuss about this. I am not going to meet someone that I don’t want to know and I am not going to take her as mate just so that the Council can consider me that they can string me like a puppet when ever they want to. That room is full of codgy old bastards and if I need to take on them all and then make them bow down before me then I shall Dad. Mark my words. I am not going to be some puppet whom they can make do anything at all. Tonight is all about the Feast and I am not going to be a bother at this point of time but I am going to come visit you in the mountains soon enough,” said Salem as he rose to his full height.

He might be broken and he might be scarred but he was not dead. And he had not forgotten how to fight, and he knew when to step in and when to back off. And this was the time for him to get his spirit back in shape. He had been moping for a long time and now not any longer.

“I am going to take your leave now Jordan. Dad, I am going to call you soon,” said Salem as he smiled stiffly at the two of them and they nodded. When he was almost at the doorway Seb called him back and said,” Salem, son, I know that you don’t like hearing this but I am still going to tell you. The home is open for you no matter when you come and in what state you are. Just come and we shall be always there for you, no matter what.”

“Thanks Dad. I needed to hear that exactly,” said Salem as he went out of the door of the den and then went in the kitchen while Jordan looked at his father in law and smiled.

“Do you think that is going to work?” he asked.

“It has always worked with him Jordan, since he was a kid. Salem is not like the other bears, his spirit is much stronger than the others and he always has to know the truth. Until and unless he finds a purpose in his life he is not going to be back to his old self again. Salem thinks that just because he was in torture chamber and has undergone trauma he is broken. We just needed to give him a reason that that is not his purpose of life and until it was staring him right in the face starkly it would not be of any help at all. So it was a good thing that I told him the truth. From the past few years the Council has been trying to tell me how to do things and all that sort but I am like a mountain, you know? Salem is exactly what they need,” said Seb with a slight chuckle.

Salem went to meet his mother who was washing up with Selene and said,” Hey Mom, I think I am going to go back home for today.”

“Of course Salem. I get that. You are tired and we are also leaving soon and it is not right to make your sister work too much in this state. She needs to be more careful with her health this time. And you my son need to stop looking at yourself like you are not man enough. Salem, my child, you were never a man like none of us are fully humans, but we are a lot more humane than the human beings that I have encountered. And I have a feeling that You are going to find what you are looking for very soon, soon enough,” said Kaya, their mother with a soft smile. She had these instincts and senses which were never actually wrong.

“Really Mom?” he asked as he himself did not know what he was actually looking for.

“Oh yes Salem. Most definitely, you will find it soon enough. And I think that you should actually go for a run tonight or some night soon enough. You need to experience that in your bones…you have been cooped up for long,” said Kaya as she kissed the top of his head and then patted his hand and squeezed it.

“Don’t worry dear. Everything will be well. All is happening just as it should happen and just at the right time too,” said his mother and he accepted her words. His mother and father were the perfect examples of how two opposite natured people could be so much in love and after all these years also it had not diminished by one single degree.

Salem could not imagine that he could live with someone whom he did not love and did not adore and did not respect. He could not have a mate who was not striving for her own identity, and that was one of the most important things that he was supposed to find in his partner. In the case of bears, the mating process took place in a different manner and once mated they could not reject or leave their mates. They were tied together for a lifetime and that was not something which he could choose without deliberate thinking and consideration.

“Brother, I know that you are worried. The creases on your brows and this grim look on your face. I really don’t like it at all, I mean, Brother look even though the times are no going well and it is what you had anticipated life has a way of bringing in the best moments at the worst phases and you just have to be open enough to let the light in. I am not going to tell you what to do and what not to do and that we are here for you. It is a fact which does not need re-iterating but just for your sake and mine and our family can you keep your eyes open?” asked Selene as they both walked towards his car.

“Of course Sis. It is not like that I am having a career or working at the moment that I would need to shift my focus or attention. You got it. And I am really glad for you and Jordan dear. I mean, this is something that you always wanted and I am hoping that the twins get a little sister this time,” added Salem with a wink. And Selene gasped and then said,” Oh Salem!! You always knew what to say and at the right moment too. We are also hoping for a little fairy princess this time…it will be the perfect thing then!!!”

“You know what? You should travel to the lake house and the cabin and spend a weekend there with Jordan. I mean, the lake is supposed to have mystical powers in the case of us. So you both can take a dip and wish for it. Who knows what might happen?” said Salem as he climbed into his truck.

“It seems that you have become a lot wiser and thoughtful than you were Salem. I know that you think you are not ready for responsibilities but there is a strange feeling gnawing at my gut that you might not have a say in that very soon and you would have to jump with both feet in. When the time comes, just don’t let yourself be caged because of your fear, ok?” asked Selene and Salem nodded at his sister. He kissed her hand and said,” if there is anything you need then don’t hesitate to call at all. I am going to make sure that I am available for you all the times.”

“I know that Brother. Drive home safe and text after reaching,” said Selene as Salem started the truck and drove in the direction of his cottage. Who knew what Jax had been doing these last few hours. Looking at Jordan and Selene he also wished that he had a family, sometimes he thought that it would be really good to have someone back at home who would be listening to his woes and who would be supporting him in times of his need and he would be doing the same for her. And they would know that no matter what happened they were never going to be apart from each other.

The sheer thought of having a mate and finding her filled with a zest and energy that he had not felt in quite a lot of years. It felt like now he had a purpose to find and he needed to do that soon enough. He was not going to allow a few old bears who think that they can do anything at all to dictate his life. Whatever the situation might be Salem knew that he could not give in to meet someone that he did not know and had no inclination towards knowing at all. Peace and friendship was an idea which was definitely one which could be worked upon but marriage was not the only thing that could help to form an alliance. It was definitely the easiest way but he was not ready to give up his chance on getting his one and only true mate just for the sake of politics of the Council.