Page 15 of Taken Home By the Grizzly

She smiles, like she’s glad to hear my words. “To be honest, I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Oh, you’re doing great, trust me.”

“How so? I feel like I’ve made one mistake after another.”

“Well, if you were a different kind of person, you could just walk out right now. Leave a message with the parents. Call the cops or child protective services, whatever, and go back to where you came from. And I wouldn’t even blame you.”

“Oh, I couldn’t abandon them now,” she says, sounding shocked.

My chest warms, and I fall for her a little bit more. Shit, it’s so soon. I only met her a few hours ago, and already, I can feel my heart opening to her. I thought it was a little frozen thing sitting in my chest, only big enough to keep the blood pumping around my body. But now I feel it swelling every time I so much as look at her.

“So,” she says, unlocking the front door. “I left them wrapped in blankets on the couch, watching an old Christmas movie. I wonder what’s going to greet us…” She pauses, lips parted. “It’s quiet. No crying or screaming…”

She tiptoes into the house and I take her cue. She leads me to the living room and we peer through the open door. Three sets of shining dark eyes are glued to the TV.

She lays a hand on her chest. “Thank goodness,” she whispers. Then she leads me through the house and down a set of stairs to the basement. There’s the furnace, sitting cold and dark in the corner of the room.

I frown. “Your new bosses didn’t start it up for you?”

“Nope. They couldn’t get away from here fast enough.”

Fury crackles through me. Those irresponsible pricks. How could they leave Zoe alone like this? How could they dump the kids they’re supposed to be looking after?

I remember the dweeby little guy who appeared on my porch. A spineless toad, ready to piss his pants at the sight of me. I should’ve ripped him apart when I had the chance.

What the hell is their deal? I don’t want to freak Zoe out by mentioning it just yet, but something doesn’t fit quite right. A pair of humans looking after three shifter cubs. They’re somebody’s kids. But whose?

I try to start up the furnace, but nothing happens.

“Sure hope there’s a toolbox here,” I mutter.

Zoe springs into action right away, hunting around the shelves of crap. I love how she’s so practical, so switched on.

Before long, we find an old metal box with a bunch of tools inside, and I get to work. I’ve fixed a couple of furnaces before. I used to do all kinds of jobs when I was younger—when I was still trying to be a part of the human world. In a few minutes, there’s a big rushing sound and an orange flame flares. “It’s connected to the water tank, so there should be hot water in about ten minutes’ time,” I say.

“Oh, thank yousomuch.” Zoe clasps her hands together. “You’re the best.”

My beast swells inside me.She says you’re the best. The one.

I shove it back down.

It’s just a figure of speech,I tell it. But the truth is, I’m hungry for every little compliment she gives me, every sign she might like me. She’s looking up at me, eyes shining, as beautiful as an angel. It’s costing me everything I’ve got not to take her into my arms and kiss her senseless.

“You’re welcome,” I say gruffly instead.

A silence draws out between us. Need builds and builds inside me, until I can’t stand it anymore. “Guess I’ll be on my way now,” I blurt out before I do or say something crazy.

She takes a deep breath, and I sense the thoughts spinning in that smart brain of hers.

“Would you like a hot drink?” she says.

My beast purrs in satisfaction. She was wondering whether she could trust me. And she’s decided that yes, it’s safe to spend a little more time with me. Her subconscious knows she’s mine. I’ve just gotta work on the other part.

“Sounds like the best thing in the world,” I say.

She blinks. It’s too much, I know that. But I’m not sorry. The sooner she knows how I feel about her, the better.

I show her how to start up the furnace if it packs up again, then we go back up the stairs.

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