Page 6 of Fire Bear

When Eliana came back to the living room with her dinner plate, a cheerful ping came from the laptop. She picked it up, breath catching in her throat. The screen displayed a list of potential matches, each showing a percentage rating. At the top, shining in bold, “100% Match: Fire Bear.”

For a moment, she couldn’t process it. One hundred percent? The site claimed that meant a true fated mate. Her pulse drummed. She clicked the profile. The photo that popped up made her inhale sharply: a man in a Fire Patrol uniform, standing beside a red brush truck, a faint grin on his rugged face.

His eyes had a confident glint, like a predator certain of his place. The username “Fire Bear” hovered by the photo. He was extremely attractive, broad shoulders, dark hair, a mix of focus and warmth in his posture, and apparently a grizzly shifter. Her heart fluttered.

Reading more: age: 32, loves the outdoors, Chief of Fate Mountain Fire Patrol.

A swirl of emotions seized Eliana. She recalled Talia’s mention that the orchard’s brushfire was handled by the Fire Patrol. Could it have been him? It seemed fate was working to bring them together already.

She wanted to meet him. The orchard festival was coming up, so why not invite him? If fate truly spun their threads together, she might as well open the door.

Hands trembling slightly, she typed:“Hi Fire Bear, I’m Eliana Hampton. My orchard is hosting our annual Heirloom Apple Festival this weekend. I would love for you to come by since we’re both from Fate Mountain. I admire the Fire Patrol’s work around here. If you’re free, drop in. Maybe we can share some fresh cider and chat.”

She hovered over “Send,” nerves crackling through her veins. Then she exhaled and clicked.

Chapter

Four

It was stillhot outside in the early evening, though the angle of the sun promised it would cool down soon. Typically, after finishing up, Ash would drive home, fix a quick meal, and settle into a solitary routine. But tonight, he felt restless.

Lifting his phone from his uniform pants pocket, he powered it on. As it booted up, the device vibrated. He glanced at the screen, expecting a meme text from Reed. Instead, it was a notification from mate.com. Ash froze for an instant, then tapped the notification. It opened.

Congratulations! We’ve found your fated mate.

His heart thudded, like the echo of a drumline. He swiped open the match’s details. A profile picture slid into view, a woman with soft, warm eyes, standing by an orchard row. Her profile name was Orchard Lady. The camera had caught her in partial sunlight, her hair tinted with golden highlights. She wore a gentle smile that tugged at his chest.

Name: Eliana Hampton. Age: 29. Occupation: Orchard Owner. Her short bio spoke of preserving heirloom apple varieties and alove for the mountain. By the time he scrolled to the bottom, he realized he was holding his breath.

A blinking icon indicated she had sent him a message. He tapped it, hands no longer steady. The text read:

Hi Fire Bear, I’m Eliana Hampton. My orchard is hosting our annual Heirloom Apple Festival this weekend. I would love for you to come by since we’re both from Fate Mountain. I admire the Fire Patrol’s work around here. If you’re free, drop in. Maybe we can share some fresh cider and chat.

He stared, rereading each line. Fire Bear had been the silly username he chose last night, not anticipating the site would ever find him a perfect match. Now, his fated mate was inviting him to her orchard on Fate Mountain.

Ash’s heart hammered as he stepped away from the station entrance, swallowing dryness in his throat. A 100% match. Her last name was Hampton. She must own the orchard near the brushfire he had extinguished yesterday. Fate was definitely at play here.

A surge of energy coursed through him, wiping away the day’s fatigue. He grinned, practically trembling with excitement. The door behind him swung open with a squeak, and Jake, his human crew member, stepped out. Ash quickly composed himself, pocketing the phone.

Jake cocked his head. “Leaving for tonight, Chief?”

“Yeah,” Ash managed, clearing his throat. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He forced a casual nod. Without waiting for aresponse, he headed to the side lot where his personal truck was parked.

He unlocked the door of his pickup. Flopping down onto the driver’s seat, he pulled the door shut, letting out a shaky breath. Eliana Hampton. Something about her made his inner bear rumble with excitement. He found his thumb tapping the phone screen again, rereading her message.

He wanted to respond. He desperately wanted to. But a knot of caution coiled in his gut. He tossed the phone onto the passenger seat, burying his face in his hands for a moment. There it was, that tension he knew so well. If she truly was his fated mate, everything would change. Accepting a mate, especially a human, meant new responsibilities and new emotional territory.

He thought about all the times he had seen cross-species couples flourish around Fate Mountain. It could be beautiful, like his parents, but it also sometimes brought complexities, particularly when someone from outside the shifter world stepped into it. The orchard might keep her busy day and night, and his Fire Patrol duties demanded so much of him. Would they even have time for each other?

He recalled the fleeting disappointment last night, how he had felt oddly deflated when no 100% matches appeared. Now the opposite sensation flooded him: hope, adrenaline, and an edge of fear. Fated mates were serious. Shifters rarely took it lightly. A 100% match from mate.com almost always meant a fated mate match.

He gingerly picked the phone up again, unlocking the screen to see her message. The orchard festival was scheduled for the weekend. She wanted him to drop by. Zoe had mentioned sheand Rollo were going to the festival too. Maybe he would see them there.

He tapped out a few words, then erased them, cursing under his breath. He had no idea how to phrase this. Finally, he typed:

Hi Eliana, thanks for reaching out. I’m Ash Bright. I’d love to see your orchard. Been hearing great things about the festival. Count me in. Let me know the best time. Looking forward to meeting you.

He reread it, noticing how stiff it sounded. Was it too short? Should he mention the brushfire near the orchard? Should he crack a joke? After a moment’s indecision, he added, “PS: The orchard must be as remarkable as you are.” He blushed at how corny that looked, then hurriedly deleted that postscript. Better to keep it simple.

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