Page 27 of A Bear's Journey

She was a bear for ten years, Jasper reminded himself. The last time she was human she was seventeen. Remember what you were like at seventeen?

A shudder went through him.

“Fine,” Craig grumbled in mock-irritation.

* * *

Normally,Jasper wasn’t a bad dancer, but he was finding it difficult to concentrate. Even though Craig got to partner with Olivia first and Jasper was partnered with a wolf shifter, he couldn’t help but watch her and Craig as they danced, Craig fumbling through the moves, Olivia moving with surprising grace and skill.

“Ow,” said his partner as he accidentally elbowed her in the back again.

“Sorry,” he said.

“Just pay attention,” she said gently, following his gaze. “First date?”

“Sort of,” Jasper said.

He and Craig switched off.

Concentrating got harder as he wrapped one arm around Olivia’s waist, letting her thread through his arm, spin, swing around and face him again.

She was glowing, her face slightly flushed with the heat of physical activity, and the whole time she was grinning like a madwoman. Whenever she screwed up the steps she laughed out loud, her red-gold hair swirling behind her like the trail of a comet.

“Come on,” she teased him. “Ow. Stop stepping on my foot. No, your other hand. Pay attention.”

Her smiled was infectious, and Jasper found himself laughing along with her, even as he got all the steps wrong.

He and Craig traded back and forth through the night, and both of them finally got good enough to not embarrass themselves when beginner hour ended and the real dancing started. Normally, Jasper knew he’d feel a little more self-conscious about being in front of so many people screwing up so badly, but with both his mate and Olivia there, it didn’t matter.

Let them stare, he thought. I couldn’t care less.

At the end of the night, the music stopped and the caller thanked everyone and the three of them stayed in the middle of the floor, Craig and Jasper both took turns spinning and dipping Olivia as she laughed, until finally, they turned the lights out on the dance floor.

As they walked out, Olivia waved to Austin, deep in conversation in one corner of the barn with a wolf shifter. He nodded and held up one finger in the universal sign of “be there in a minute.”

The cool air felt wonderful on Jasper’s skin, and he realized how much he’d been sweating.

“Austin’s truck is over there,” Olivia said, pointing, their feet sinking a little into the soft grass as they walked.

“You know, we’ve still got your book,” Craig said.

Olivia turned her head and looked at him, a smile just barely crinkling the soft skin around her eyes.

“Think we could give it back to you over dinner?”

Olivia’s smile froze, and Jasper’s heart sank.

She didn’t answer.

She’s going to say no, Jasper thought.

Then he realized she was staring at someone behind them, looking like she’d seen a ghost or something.

Jasper followed her gaze, but there was nothing there — just a group of wolf shifters standing around, talking.

With a sudden whoosh, Olivia shifted before Jasper had any idea what was happening, and then her huge bulk flew past him, charging at the group of wolves, teeth bared growling.

The only thing that Jasper had time to think was oh no.

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