Page 19 of Beast Bear

She’d let herself feel for the first time in so long. With her mate. A man who had his own demons. Tonight, they’d overcome their demons together. He’d maintained his control. She’d let go of hers. As she brushed her hand over his muscled chest, Serena felt her connection to Theo unfurling like a rose. Blooming intosomething transcendent and timeless. She just hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.

Chapter

Nineteen

Theo wokeup to pale sunlight edging through the suite’s large windows. His head felt clearer than it had in months. He lay there for a moment, body half-buried in the cozy bedding, letting the memories of last night drift back over him: the warmth of Serena in his arms, the way her eyes lit with trust when she finally let him in, the calm that had washed over him after they’d made love.

He turned onto his side, gazing at Serena. Her dark lashes fluttered against her cheeks. Pale sunlight fell across her skin, making her look soft and vulnerable in a way he wasn’t used to seeing her.

He remembered all the human women who’d thrown themselves at him in Portland, how hollow those encounters had felt. Never once had he come out of those nights feeling like this—like he could die happy, having tasted something so real.

The memory of how she’d moaned and trembled in his arms filled him with a fierce desire. She blinked awake, taking in her surroundings with a slightly confused expression. Catching sightof him, Serena smiled. “Good morning,” he said quietly, his voice still rough with sleep. “How are you?”

She gave a small nod. “I’m good. Last night was amazing.”

“Last night was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Serena giggled and ran her hand up his thigh. An alert chimed from his phone on the bedside table. With a sigh, he snagged it. The honeymoon was over—time to face reality again. “I have a message from the academy,” he said, scanning the text. “There’s a White Water session in an hour, and they’re short-handed a lifeguard. They need me to step in.”

Serena sat up, her easy warmth vanishing behind a sense of purpose. “We should get going then,” she replied, tossing the covers aside. The weight of the threat that hung over the academy came rushing back.

The morning airwas clear and crisp when Theo arrived at the creek only an hour after leaving Fate Mountain Lodge. The natural rapids would give trainees a chance to practice real-white water techniques.

He’d gathered his lifeguard equipment: throw-bags and a lifeguard float. He strode along the banks of the creek, pausing to watch Logan Carter, who stood in a raft shouting instructions at a group of trainees.

Several inflatable rafts dotted the water’s edge, their bright colors standing out against the dark green pines.He stationed himself near a cluster of lifejackets, scanning them for anythingunusual. He glanced around, half expecting to see a missing buckle or broken strap, but everything seemed intact.

Two trainees stepped into a bright orange canoe at the calmer bend of the creek, following the plan to practice gentle paddle strokes before tackling rougher water. Theo watched them push off from shore, trying to gauge their skill levels. They seemed steady at first, but then, without warning, the canoe jerked violently to one side. The hull tipped and both trainees plunged into the current. Shouts erupted from the bank.

Theo’s eyes zeroed in on the swirl of water. One trainee surfaced, sputtering and coughing, while the other vanished below. A burst of rage and fear seared through him. His bear pushed against his self-control, demanding he shift. Instead, he let his shifter strength course through his muscles.

He sprinted to the creek’s edge. “Tie a rope around me,” he yelled to the nearest staff member. They hurriedly looped the rope around his waist, securing it with a firm knot. The rest of the staff scrambled to form an anchor line, and Theo plunged into the rushing water.

The current slammed against him, cold and forceful, but he powered forward with broad strokes, body fueled by a strength no ordinary human could match. The staff behind him gripped the rope, eyes wide at the sight of Theo propelling himself through the turbulent creek. He spotted the trainee, hands flailing helplessly.

“Hold on!” Theo called, voice muffled by the churning water. He reached the trainee in a few swift strokes. Water roared around them, and gravel scraped at Theo’s legs, but he ignored the pain and seized the young man’s arm. Gasping, the trainee clutched Theo’s lifeguard float, his eyes wild with panic.

Theo secured the trainee on the float, feeling the rope around his own waist go taut. The staff on shore pulled in unison, fighting the raging creek. Theo pressed his boots against the rocky bottom and heaved with all his might. His muscles burned, but he refused to yield to the current.

The rope jerked, and Theo kicked hard, using his powerful legs to gain ground. They lurched toward the shallows, coughing and sputtering as the staff hauled them closer. When they reached waist-deep water, Theo lifted the young man out of the water, his supernatural strength carrying him to the rocky bank.

Serena and Alicia rushed forward with med packs. Serena draped a towel over the trainee’s trembling shoulders, and Alicia began a quick evaluation. Theo took a moment to breathe. Relief washed over him, but the day was not done yet. The canoe still bobbed in the current, creating a potential hazard for others who might paddle that stretch.

Theo got to his feet, ignoring the wet gravel clinging to his shoes. He waded into the creek again, fastening one end of a rope around a stable boulder. Water splashed high against his waist, but he gritted his teeth and held strong. Reaching the canoe, he looped the rope around the hull, then began tugging it toward the bank. The current buffeted him, threatening to sweep him downstream.

By the time he secured the canoe on the rocky shore, he was beginning to feel the burn. He pushed soaked hair from his eyes and knelt to inspect the undercarriage. Something looked off. He ran his hand along the stabilizing bar that should have held firm under normal stress. A couple of screws were missing entirely. He stared at the empty holes, anger stirring in his gut. This was no accident. The canoe had been sabotaged.

A low voice behind him made him glance over his shoulder. Logan’s eyes scanned the same missing screws. “That bar was fine yesterday,” Logan muttered, shaking his head. “No way it just popped loose.”

Theo’s jaw tightened as the memory of other so-called accidents rushed back. “Someone is doing this on purpose,” he said, voice low. “They nearly drowned that kid today.”

Instructors and trainees gathered, murmuring in hushed voices. Theo exchanged a grave look with Logan, the two of them aware that the academy was not safe. Alicia finished her initial examination of the trainee and stood. “He’s a bit bruised, and he swallowed a lot of water, but I think he will be all right,” she said.

Relief flickered across Serena’s features. The bystanders exhaled in unison, though the tension was far from gone. Theo leaned into Logan. “We have to figure out who is doing this,” he said, gesturing to the canoe. “Next time, it might not end this well.”

Chapter

Twenty

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