Page 10 of Fire Bear

Halfway through the thoroughfare, he spotted his aunt Zoe, leaning over a craft table, admiring crocheted potholders shaped like apple blossoms. Rollo stood by with his usual calm authority, watching over Zoe as she shopped. They looked up as Ash approached, smiles spreading across their faces.

“Ash!” Zoe exclaimed, beckoning him closer. She wore a light sweater and jeans, her face lit with a friendly grin. “Everything here is divine. We just bought a pint of orchard jam and a liter of hard cider. Have you tried any samples yet?”

He nodded, letting out a short laugh. “I had the most delicious hard cider I’ve ever tasted. But that’s not the best thing to happen to me tonight. I’m here on a date. With my 100% match.”

“Who? Where is she?” Zoe asked, eyes widening.

“Eliana Hampton. The owner of Hampton Orchard.”

Zoe gasped in excitement. “That’s wonderful!” She reached out to pat his arm. “I’m so thrilled for you.”

A wave of warmth spread across Ash’s cheeks. Although he expected Zoe’s enthusiasm, he still felt mildly self-conscious. “Thanks. We only just started talking. She’s… amazing. But she’s human, and I don’t want to make her uncomfortable with the typical shifter mate enthusiasm.”

“We’ll keep it quiet tonight. But when your father hears, he’ll want to break out the confetti.” Rollo clapped Ash’s shoulder gently. “Congratulations, nephew. Fated mates don’t happen every day.”

Ash nodded in gratitude. “I appreciate it. She’s finishing an orchard demonstration, so I plan on catching up with her soon. Enjoy the festival, you two.”

“We will,” Zoe said, waving as he walked away.

Ash craned his neck, scanning for Eliana. She had promised they would meet again once her final demonstration was done. A pang of eagerness coursed through him. Eliana emerged from between two booths, stepping up to him with a bright smile.

“Hey, sorry you had to wait. The Q&A ran longer than I expected,” she said, sounding a bit breathless but happy.

He returned her smile. “No worries. I’ve been exploring. My aunt and uncle are here, so we chatted for a bit. They’re under strict orders not to embarrass me. Shifters can be a little overbearing about fated mates.”

Eliana’s cheeks tinted pink, and she opened her mouth to reply, but another female voice interrupted her.

“Eliana, I need a moment.” A breathless woman wearing an orchard t-shirt and a nametag that said “Talia” cast a nervous look at him. “I was taking a walk near the orchard’s southernedge just now, and I saw two men hanging around the fence line. They ran off when they noticed me.”

“What do you think they were doing?” Eliana asked.

“Couldn’t tell exactly,” Talia replied. “They might have been messing with the fence. When they spotted me, they bolted into the forest.”

Eliana’s posture stiffened, eyes darting to Ash. “That’s the same area where a brushfire started last week.”

“Exactly,” Talia said.

Ash’s pulse quickened. Eliana squared her shoulders, an undercurrent of tension in her voice. “I’ll go take a look.”

He admired Eliana’s courage, but he could not let her confront strangers alone in the gathering darkness. “I’ll come with you,” he offered.

They walked to a small storage shed. Eliana led him inside, rummaging through shelves of orchard supplies such as gloves, pruning shears, and sacks of fertilizer. She then handed him a heavy-duty flashlight. Ash gave it a quick flick. A strong beam cut through the dim interior, revealing the shed’s wooden rafters and dust motes.

As they walked, the orchard festival faded behind them. They followed a winding path that cut through a forested area. Finally, they came to the orchard’s property line. There was an old wooden fence that separated the orchard from the adjacent forest slope where the brushfire had been.

He climbed over, carefully swinging himself to the other side. “Stay there a second,” he said quietly, scanning the area. Hisheightened shifter senses picked up a faint chemical scent. “I smell lighter fluid.”

Eliana bit her lip, shining her beam across the fence. “Lighter fluid?”

He nodded grimly. “I smelled the same thing when I put out the brushfire. Could be lingering from that.” He returned to the orchard side of the fence, feeling tension knot in his shoulders.

“Talia saw some men lingering around here. That gets my suspicion up.”

They walked the fence line for a few more minutes, searching for additional signs of tampering. Nothing appeared. There was only the rustle of grass underfoot and the chirping of insects. The orchard’s distant lights glowed softly behind them.

“You need more security,” Ash said. “I can help you set that up.”

“Ash, I can’t ask you to do that.”

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