Page 7 of Beast Bear

Alicia nodded gravely. “I agree,” she said. “This looks deliberate.”

Kai folded his arms. “Didn’t Morgan check this rope?”

Logan sighed, glancing at Alicia. “Morgan had a meltdown this morning,” he murmured, lowering his voice. “He’s concerned about budget cuts. Maybe he’s slacking on the job.”

The tension in the air thickened. Logan turned to the group. “No more climbing today,” he announced, raising his hands to signal the end of training. “We are canceling the final scenario. I want a full rope inspection across the board before we attempt anything else.”

Alicia confirmed that Travis was only rattled and not physically injured. Morgan appeared at the edge of the field, glaring daggers at Logan. “I warned you,” Morgan mumbled under his breath.

Logan glared back. With the day’s training abruptly cut short, Serena picked up her daypack from the grass. As Morgan stomped off, the crowd dispersed, and Serena’s heart still thudded harder than it should.

She blamed it on the near-miss with the rope—though part of her knew she was still rattled from the previous day. Shepictured the fierce desire in Theo’s eyes, and the sudden terror that he might claim her against her will. Her mind churned with questions, and her heart ached with fear.

Chapter

Eight

Theo pausedin the corridor outside Poppy Miller’s office, the morning sun spilling in through tall windows. His stomach twisted at the memory of everything that had happened yesterday. He’d terrified Serena, run wild into the forest, and abandoned the kitchen for hours.

He half expected a formal reprimand—or even to be fired.I deserve it,he thought. He exhaled and tapped lightly on the door, bracing for the worst. Inside, the office was modest yet orderly, with a sturdy wooden desk, a bookshelf, and a waiting guest chair. Poppy Miller, head of the academy’s administration, looked up as he entered.

“Please, have a seat,” she said. Her tone was businesslike but not unkind. She waited until he settled into the chair across from her before she spoke again. “I wanted to talk to you about your rescue last night. You guided two lost hikers back after dark, which may very well have saved them from serious harm.” A gentle smile curved her lips. “That was commendable, Theo.”

The wordcommendablecut through the knot in his chest. For a moment, relief flickered inside him. Poppy’s expression turnedmore serious. “Yet in doing so, you left the kitchen unattended for several hours.”

Theo felt heat crawl up his neck. “I… yes, ma’am,” he managed. His heart pounded as she continued.

She lowered her voice. “I’m aware of the incident in Portland. The meltdown in a public park?” A trace of concern touched her features. “That can’t happen here, Theo. You’re in charge of the kitchen, but you’re also essential to our SAR team. If you can’t handle both, we need to know sooner rather than later.”

Every muscle in Theo’s body tensed, shame pooling in his chest.I’m not fit for polite company.The idea lodged in his mind like a splinter he couldn’t pull free.

“I… understand your worry,” he said, voice heavy. “I don’t mean to abandon my responsibilities. It’s just—” He struggled with words, seeing flashes of himself charging through the woods in a half-frenzied state.

Poppy folded her hands on the desk. “I’m not judging you, Theo, but the academy needs safety and reliability. We can’t afford repeated episodes. Do you understand?”

He nodded mutely, shame churning inside him. He’d promised himself he’d never let the beast loose again. Yet he’d failed twice since coming to the academy. “I’m trying. I am. I admit I lost control. I just met my mate at the academy, and it’s a lot.”

Poppy’s eyes widened slightly. She wasn’t a shifter, but she’d worked at Fate Mountain Academy long enough to know the significance of a fated mate. “I see. So the emotional turbulence from that bond is contributing to your stress?”

Theo exhaled, a shaky laugh escaping his throat. “You could say that.” He thought bitterly of how his inner grizzly had terrified his fated mate.

Poppy’s face softened. “I’m no expert on mate bonds, but I can imagine the intensity. Still, you have to understand our position. For everyone’s safety—including yours—we need you stable. Otherwise, you or your mate have to go.”

She opened a folder on her desk. “Officially, I have to document that you left your post without notice and nearly lost control. However, given the circumstances, I’m willing to treat this as a warning—provided it doesn’t happen again.”

Theo left the office feeling both grateful and hollow. Poppy hadn’t fired him or stripped him of responsibilities, yet his mistakes loomed over him like a thundercloud. He walked through the hallway, ignoring a few curious glances from passing trainees. His fists clenched at his sides, each step echoing with the knowledge that he’d terrified his mate, lost himself to the bear, and risked his position in one day.

Chapter

Nine

Serena rosefrom her narrow dorm bed and rubbed her eyes. Early sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, glowing on a desk cluttered with notes on rescue procedures and wilderness routes. She dressed in a sturdy jacket and hiking pants, then checked her phone. She half-hoped to see a message from Theo, even though she couldn’t admit it to herself when she didn’t find one. Instead, she saw a new academy email. She squinted at the subject line: “Orienteering I Session Starts at 8 AM.”

She stared at the clock on her nightstand. It showed half past eight. She frowned, recalling that this class was supposed to begin at nine. Worry nudged her. She pressed her lips together and decided she would skip breakfast. She grabbed her backpack and hurried out into the dorm hallway. Students passed by, a few chatting about schedule confusion, but she had no time to investigate further. She took the stairs two at a time, boots thumping on the worn steps, then pushed through the exit door into the crisp morning air.

At the staging area, Jade Rivers, the instructor, stood near a small cluster of trainees. Jade wore cargo pants, a warm fleece,and had a compass dangling from a lanyard around her neck. A few trainees looked uneasy, each holding printouts or phone screens that likely showed the same email Serena had read. Jade’s expression darkened when she saw Serena approach.

“Did you get that email too?” Jade asked. She drummed her fingers on a stack of laminated maps.

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