Page 5 of Beast Bear

She settled across from him as birds sang in the tree branches above. “So, your profile said you lived in Portland?”

“I just moved home to Fate Mountain,” Theo said. “Hadn’t updated the profile yet.”

She saw a flicker of something intense in his eyes. Before she even took a bite of her lunch, her inner cougar screamed.

Mate. Mate. Mate.

The words rumbled through her, coiling low in her belly and making her skin tingle with longing. Instinct told her that this man was hers, whispering that he belonged to her the way her claws and fangs did. Her heart thumped hard, torn between the sudden rush of desire and her fear of connection.

His pupils flickered from hazel to something darker—almost black around the rims—and his canines looked just a fraction too sharp when he spoke. Her pulse thudded in her ears, and for a fleeting moment, the entire meadow seemed to fade into the background. She realized he was about to move closer, and she found herself leaning in too, compelled by an unmistakable spark that felt undeniably real.

Desire surged through her in an unstoppable wave, making every ounce of caution vanish under the raw need to be near him.He hesitated for a heartbeat, then bridged the distance, pressing his lips gently against hers before slowly deepening the kiss. A bolt of electricity shot down her spine, making every nerve tingle.

She let out a soft, involuntary sound as he slipped one hand around her waist, drawing her closer. The lingering brush of his tongue against her lower lip sparked a flash of arousal deep in her belly. Her inner cougar roared in approval, a primal surge that made her toes curl and her breath hitch in her throat.

But the moment his lips shifted to her neck, something changed. His grip on her waist tightened; a low rumble reverberated against her collarbone. His hot breath fanned across her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. A sudden scrape of teeth grazed the sensitive spot at the crook of her neck. The slight pressure made her heart lurch. She felt his nails dig into her hip, lengthening as though claws were emerging.

Her breath caught. One second, she’d been lost in the taste of him—now she realized he was very close to breaking skin. So close to taking the mating bite, binding her to him forever. “Theo, stop!” she gasped, forcing her palms against his chest. She shoved him back, heart pounding. The primal fire in his eyes flickered, equal parts longing and savagery.

Panting, Theo recoiled, stumbling backward. His eyes still gleamed with predatory intensity. “Go,” he growled, his voice rough. He raked a hand through his hair, as though physically battling his bear from taking over entirely. “Please go before I do something I’ll regret.”

She blinked, shock rippling through her. “This was a mistake,” she sniped, voice shaking. She stood on unsteady legs and stumbled away, pulse roaring in her ears. The last thing she saw before she fled was Theo hunched on the blanket, eyes squeezed shut in torment, his fists white-knuckled with the effort to hold back the beast inside him.

Chapter

Six

Theo steppedinto the academy’s kitchen, forcing a smile he didn’t feel. After what happened with Serena, he couldn’t shake the sense that he was a doomed, cursed monster. Every moment of the failed date replayed in his head. From his hunger to claim her, to her startled retreat.

He called his staff together for a quick review of the dinner plan. Several cooks and assistants gathered around the stainless-steel prep counters. He outlined the menu. Despite his calm tone, it felt like he was playing the gracious host while a feral creature lurked inside, ready to snarl at the slightest provocation.

When he finished speaking, a sous-chef asked for clarification on the spaghetti sauce. Theo started to answer, then felt a sudden surge of agitation. The memory of Serena’s distressed face came rushing back. His inner bear snarled inside his mind. He paused and drew in a deep breath. His voice nearly cracked when he finished his explanation.

The line cook beside him dropped a pan, and a low growl caught in Theo’s throat before he stifled it. The staff looked on warily, and he realized they must see a flicker of the untamed power hetried so hard to hide. He realized in that moment that he was on the edge of losing control.

He managed to mutter an excuse about needing a break, then headed out the back door. Outside, he leaned against the wall and tried to slow his breathing. The memory of Serena’s alarmed face played over and over, like a haunted melody. She hadn’t even eaten her lunch. A wave of regret and heartbreak coursed through him. The bear inside him roared, flooding his veins with restless energy.

Before he could pull himself back, the shift began. His muscles tensed, and fur sprouted along his arms. The world blurred for a moment as bones and tendons reformed in a flash of raw power. When his vision refocused, he was on all fours.

The kitchen and the staff were forgotten in a rush of feral emotion. A deep, ragged snarl tore from his throat as he thundered into the forest. The last rays of sunlight painted the pine trees in gold, but he barely registered the beauty. All he could feel was the frenzied need to escape his own torment.

With each lunge of his massive paws, pine needles and loose soil scattered. Branches snapped under his weight; low-hanging limbs cracked against his shoulders. He roared again, a raw, savage sound that echoed through the woods like a living storm. It felt like retreating into the only place where a beast truly belonged—deep in the shadows.

He wanted to outrun the shame and longing that gnawed at him. Adrenaline flooded his veins, urging him to move faster, to tear through every obstacle in his path, as if speed and destruction could purge the fury inside him.

He churned up the undergrowth, muzzle damp with exertion, breath snarling between bared teeth. For a moment, he lost himself entirely, consumed by a wild fury that turned the forest into a blur of greens and golds. Only the rhythmic burn in his muscles reminded him that he was still real, still alive—and still caught in the grip of a beast he couldn’t tame.

He had no idea how long he ran through the forest, as the sun set behind the mountain. A sudden jolt of awareness made him slow. He smelled fear. His ears twitched as he heard anxious voices. Ahead, two hikers stood off the path in the fading twilight.

Theo realized they were lost. He lumbered closer, aware that his massive bear shape might terrify them. They glanced in his direction and froze, fear scenting the air. His first instinct was to run deeper into the forest—hide from the panic in their eyes—yet a sliver of clarity pierced the haze of wild emotion. They were vulnerable, stranded, and his conscience wouldn’t let him abandon them.

He let out a huff, backing off and searching for cover behind a wide tree. His chest heaved, adrenaline still hammering through his veins. Leaning against the rough bark, he wrestled with every rapid breath, forcing himself to remember why he needed to shift back.

For several agonizing moments, his resolve to help overpowered the instinct to flee. Gritting his teeth, he clung to the thought of guiding them to safety. Slowly, painfully, the rush of fur receded, and bones and muscles reshaped. He had to brace one hand against the ground as his limbs shrank back to human proportions. His entire body shuddered with the effort of reining in his beast.

Once the transformation settled, he called out to the lost hikers. “Hi there. Are you lost? I work at Fate Mountain Wilderness Academy. I’m a shifter. I was out here in bear form.”

“You’re from the academy?” one said. “Thank goodness. We got lost just before sundown. The trail markers must have been mislabeled.”

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