Page 5 of Fire Bear

Talia had once owned her own small orchard but joined Eliana’s staff two years ago. After an unfortunate romantic situation with a conman, Talia lost everything. Despite her despair, she quickly became an indispensable employee and a close friend.

“Listen, I wanted to mention something. I just chatted with a neighbor who can see the southern fence line. She said there was a brushfire right near there yesterday.”

Eliana froze. “A brushfire? I never saw the smoke. They must have put it out quickly.”

Talia nodded. “Fire Patrol responded fast. They suspect it was started by a cigarette or a campfire.”

Eliana’s gut twisted. “A cigarette,” she murmured, forcing calm. “Who would be smoking all the way down there? We’ll need to talk to the staff about fire safety during dry conditions.”

“I can take lead on that if you like.”

Eliana sighed, the weight of the festival pressing on her. “Thanks, Talia.” Her friend gave her a supportive pat on the shoulder and strode away.

Eliana walked into the barn, clipboard in hand. The large warehouse structure housed rows of sorting tables, crates of apples, a cider press, and a filling station. The aroma of freshly picked fruit mingled with the scent of cider.

As she stared at the apple crates along the wall, she thought about how tenuous orchard life could be. One unexpected blaze, a stretch of poor weather, or a damaging pest outbreak could unravel years of effort.

“Grandma, Grandpa,” she thought, eyes flicking to a framed photograph over the office door. It showed her as a child clinging to her grandmother’s side, while her grandfather stood behind a wheelbarrow loaded with apples. The orchard was her legacy, left by the grandparents who raised her after her parents passed away. “I’m trying my best to fill your shoes. I just hope I’m strong enough.”

She felt a familiar heaviness in her chest. Could she truly safeguard this land by herself? The orchard had thrived so far under her watch, but it often demanded more than she was sure she could give. She inhaled slowly, recalling how her grandparents overcame storms, financial strains, and orchard blights. They never gave up. She wouldn’t either.

She walked into her office, sat down at her desk, and began to sort through the mail. Bills and advertisements were folded inside a local periodical. She opened it, flipping through pages about local events. The ad she’d taken out was proudly displayed. She smiled, knowing her festival would be a success.

She turned the page and found a full-page advertisement with large bold letters:“MATE.COM: Bringing Shifters and Human Partners Together for True Love!”The images showed happy couples. Some had the animal glint of shifters in their eyes, while others were clearly human.

Eliana felt a twinge in her chest. She’d heard of mate.com, of course. Fate Mountain had a large shifter population. The app had helped countless residents find their fated mates.

She read the ad’s fine print:“It’s time to meet your perfect match! Tired of shallow dating apps? We match on soul-level compatibility. All species welcome. True fated mate guaranteed!”

Something about the words stirred her longing. She’d been single for... well, she couldn’t recall her last serious relationship. Running an orchard demanded all her time and energy, and it often left her isolated.

She studied the ad. The smiling human woman in the photo looked so content in her partner’s arms. An unexpected wave of loneliness curled through her. She rarely allowed herself to feel this way.

Eliana finished her administrative tasks, checked in with the staff, and finalized the festival’s sign-up sheets. But each break brought that faint echo:“It’s time to meet your perfect match… True fated mate guaranteed…”

Her grandparents had had each other. She yearned for a partner she could confide in during tough times and celebrate with during the good, someone who loved the land as much as she did.

By the time she returned to the farmhouse, dusk had painted the sky lavender and orange. She set her clipboard on the kitchen table. Too tired to cook a big meal, she put a frozen pizza in the oven and poured a cup of iced tea.

Her living room welcomed her with framed photos: her grandmother in the orchard holding a basket of apples, her grandfather teaching a younger Eliana how to prune branches.

Sighing, she sank onto the couch, glass of iced tea in hand. The day’s events settled over her thoughts. The orchard festival was shaping up well, but Talia’s mention of the brushfire weighed on her.

She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. Her mind drifted back to the advertisement for mate.com she’d seen in the periodical. The longing in her chest refused to be ignored.

She set the glass aside and reached for her laptop. Her heart fluttered with nervous excitement as she typed in the web address. The site loaded, vibrant with images of couples—shifter-human pairs beaming with joy. Was this ridiculous?

She clicked “Sign Up,” reading through disclaimers about how the site specialized in matching shifters and humans. She typed her name: Eliana Hampton, age: 29, occupation: Orchard Owner. She paused at “Species,” but of course she was human.

Next came a series of personality questions: preferences in music, thoughts on the outdoors, how she handled conflict. She answered carefully, wanting to be truthful. Then that silly vegetable question appeared: “If you were a vegetable, what would you be?” She stifled a laugh and chose “Pea.” The quiz reasoned peas were sweet, versatile, and part of a larger support system in the garden. That felt right.

Finally, the site prompted her to add a photo. Eliana scrolled through her laptop’s library, selecting a snapshot from spring: she wore a simple sundress, leaning against an apple tree trunk with orchard blossoms behind her. Her hair was pinned loosely, wind teasing the strands, a grin curving on her lips. The photo captured both her seriousness and warmth.

Hesitating, she hovered over “Submit.” Uncertainty and excitement battled inside her. She could still close the browser and pretend she’d never started. But deep down, she wanted the possibility. Taking a shaky breath, she clicked “Submit.” A progress bar popped up: “Analyzing Your Profile…”

Eliana’s heart pounded. She placed the laptop aside briefly, pressing her palms to her cheeks. The orchard outside was now dark, a blanket of night holding it in a gentle hush. The oven timer went off and she got up to get her pizza.

Fate Mountain’s shifter-human couples swore their mate bond had near-magical intensity. She’d never experienced anything like that, but maybe with a shifter she could.

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