Page 40 of Bear Facts

Shane’s sudden aggression shouldn’t surprise them. It was natural for a Shifter who’d just made a mate-claim. Unnatural for Shane, who’d never opposed Eric since the day he’d come to live in this Shiftertown.

But then, mates changed everything.

Freya had changed everything. With her wolf eyes and sassy tongue, her courage and her resolve, she’d reached into something within Shane and tied it in knots.

“I’d never dream of it,” Eric said, deadpan. “But Graham will be hard-pressed to protect her if she refuses the claim.”

“Then I’ll have to convince her I’ll be one hell of a mate.” Shane met Eric’s gaze with an assuredness he didn’t feel. “Besides, she’s smart enough to realize she’s safer in my house than she would be with Graham. She won’t turn me down until Leo has been rendered null as a threat.”

“Which you plan to do at the fight club,” Cassidy stated. No surprise she already knew all about that too.

“Yep.” Shane nodded. “I will kick his sorry ass and leave him to limp home.”

“Be careful, Shane.” This came from Diego. “Not because I don’t think you can take him, but because Leo’s cunning. He’ll try to cheat.” Cassidy and Eric nodded, in total agreement.

“Fully expect him to.” Shane plunked his empty coffee cup to the counter. “As long as he doesn’t ruin any more shirts for me, I’ll go easy on him. I’ll knock him out right away and let his friends carry him home.”

Eric and Cassidy exuded confidence that Shane would do exactly as he stated. Diego, the only human in the room, was more cautious, which was why Diego was good at his job. He didn’t get cocky.

Shane knew he’d do well to emulate him.

They were being too nice to her. Freya was exhausted, wilting under the care of Cormac, Nell, and Brody as they sat her at their kitchen table and shoved a pile of sandwiches at her.

Freya tried to explain that she’d eaten plenty at the cabin and was fine, but the bears insisted that she’d experienced a lot of stress between then and now and should down a bunch more food.

Any other time, she’d be amused at their logic, but Freya was tired, stunned, and uncertain what to do.

Shane’s mate-claim had jolted her. Even while she understood that the claim would shield her from Leo and even Graham if necessary, the fact that Shane had made it still scared the hell out of her.

Not because she was afraid of Shane. When she’d attacked him in the woods, thinking he was the source of the wrongness she’d sensed in the mountains, she’d quickly understood that Shane would not hurt her. He was tough, strong, and a good fighter, but he’d thwarted her attack without injuring her.

Then he’d helped her up, taken her to the cabin, let her bathe without invading her privacy, and fed her. When she’d slipped away to her meeting, Shane had followed—in concern for her safety, not because he’d wanted to trap her.

Graham, though his worry for her as a cub had been real, had restricted her. For her own good, she’d realized as she grew older, but she’d been alternately frustrated and angry. Graham hadn’t been as strict with Rolf, because Rolf was male. Rolf would have to battle it out to find his place in the hierarchy after his Transition, Graham had explained when Freya had objected to his unfairness. That Freya would have to as well hadn’t seemed to bother him. But then, Freya would probably find a mate who would take care of her.

Nell, Cormac, and Brody seemed uncertain what to do with her, but they were trying to make her feel welcome.

Brody had crushed her in a hug the moment Shane had walked off with Eric. Freya had barely been able to breathe with her face squashed against his broad chest. “It will be so great to finally have a sister,” he’d rumbled. “Even a wolf one.”

“Don’t smother her with compliments,” Cormac had said. He’d gently disentangled her from Brody and wrapped her in a softer hug. “Welcome to the family, honey.”

Nell had also embraced her, but more cautiously. “I acknowledge and respect the mate-claim,” she said formally. She’d clasped Freya’s shoulders when they came out of the hug. “Shane’s been through a lot. Let him down easy if you refuse the claim, all right?”

“I’ll try,” was all Freya could say.

After that they’d pressed grilled ham and cheese sandwiches at her, along with a ton of potato salad and a large bowl of blackberries.

“Where do you get fresh blackberries in January?” Freya had to ask.

“Friend in Mexico sends them to me,” Cormac said. He tossed berries into this mouth with his fingers. “He’s a half Shifter, a bear. No one knows it. Plus, he’s a hell of a good farmer.”

“How can no one know it?” Freya had spent her life evading too much scrutiny. She and Rolf had moved fairly often within the Bay Area so no one would start wondering why they looked the same after twenty-odd years. They’d shared an apartment until a few years ago, when their jobs took them in different directions and commuting would have been difficult. She’d missed having Rolf near every day, but their work opportunities were too good to pass up. Freya couldn’t imagine staying somewhere long enough to run a successful farm.

“Half-human Shifters have an easier time hiding their true natures,” Cormac said. “He lives near Huatulco, down in Oaxaca. A beautiful area.”

“You’ve been there?” Freya asked in surprise. All her life she’d only heard about limitations on travel for Shifters.

“I visit him from time to time.” Cormac shrugged, unworried. “I know a guy and his wife who sail down there from San Diego. They let me hitch a ride. How do you think I get all these berries back here?” He winked at Freya.

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