Page 33 of Off-Limits to the Grizzly

A bear and a big cat, charging through the snow. It’s an arresting sight. But panic is surging through my veins. She hates me. All the anger, the betrayal in her eyes curls me up inside. She’ll never forgive me for this. And maybe Zach won’t want to be with my anymore, now that he’s seen her again.

I watch until they disappear into the trees, the pain in my heart leaving me breathless. Then I go inside, grab a fresh set of my clothes and lay them out on the doorstep, along with the clothes Zach just took off.

* * *

They don’t come backany time soon. What the hell are they doing out there? I pace up and down the cabin. Then to distract myself, I make a fire in the living room.

The daylight fades and shadow falls across the front of the cabin. I sit in the dim light, waiting.

A big crashing sound comes from outside. Then some kind of scuffle.

The front door bursts open.

There they both are, tucking their shirts into their pants. I search their faces anxiously.

“I’m sorry, Blair.” Kayla’s head is down, like she can’t bring herself to look at me. But Zach throws me a small smile, and I feel it—that buzz of connection in my chest. While he was gone, it was an overwhelming ache, a physical pain. But now it’s warm, soothing.

“Come here,” he says, crooking his finger toward Kayla. “Both of you.” Zach motions for me to go first, and we all head into Kayla’s old room.

She lets out a gasp. “Oh, my god. All my stuff. You kept it.”

“I moved a lot of it from the old house, of course. But I wanted it all to be here in case you ever came back.”

She wanders around the room, picking up various things, rubbing them against her cheek or sniffing them. She runs her fingers along the long claw marks gouged into the wall, with a rueful laugh. “I was a nightmare, wasn’t I?”

I shrug. “You could be challenging.”

“But you never forgot me?”

“I missed you so much, Kayla,” I murmur. “I never stopped wondering where you were.”

When she finally turns to face us, her eyes are glistening with tears.

“You’re not my bio dad, are you?”

Zach hangs his head. “I made a promise—to myself—never to tell. I always loved you as my daughter though, Kayla. And I tried my best with you.”

“I know you did,” she says, in a whisper. “But I was unmanageable. Feral.”

“A handful.” He gives a dry laugh.

“I’m so sorry I left you both.” Now tears spill down her cheeks. “My animal was out of control. I was worried it’d wind up hurting somebody.”

“And now?” Zach asks.

Kayla breaks into a grin. The first unguarded smile since she’s been here. “I’ve met my mate. A tiger.”

“I thought so,” Zach says, and his eyes shine with pride.

She closes her eyes for a beat. “And I’m happy you two got together. It’s gonna take a bit of getting used to. But I can see you belong together. That you’re good for each other.” She holds out her arms and I run into them.

* * *

It’s fully dark now,and Zach insists on cooking dinner for us all. He refuses my offer of help, and sends me off with Kayla to her room. We sit on her bed and catch up on the years. We laugh and cry non-stop.

“I found my mom,” she tells me, knees drawn up to her chest.

“Oh my god. How did it go?”

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