Page 55 of Bear Facts

“Thank you.” Freya’s gratitude came out sincerely.

“I’m glad to finally meet you.” Misty held out her hands, and Freya took them without hesitation. The mate of a pack leader held power that had nothing to do with dominance, which would be different for Misty as human anyway.

Freya squeezed Misty’s fingers, seeing strength that her softness belied.

“Let me introduce you to some of the newer members of the clan.” Misty tugged Freya to walk beside her. “Just because you’re mating with Shane doesn’t mean you’re out of Graham’s pack. You’re still family.”

“Technically maybe,” Freya said. “I’ve been gone a long time.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Misty answered firmly. “Graham enjoys being a father figure to all the cubs in his pack. He’ll never admit that, of course, even under torture.”

“Of course.” Freya had to laugh.

She remembered how Graham had scared her and Rolf at first with his loud voice and the way he could growl. But they’d both soon come to realize Graham would never hurt them. Ever. He was protective, caring, and even loving, though he’d hide it with every breath.

At one of the larger houses, Misty stepped onto the porch and opened the back door into a sunny kitchen.

Two small boys were perched on a long countertop, a large tub of ice cream between them. The lads were busily relieving the tub of its contents and didn’t notice Freya and Misty enter.

Both whipped around when Misty cleared her throat, spoons still in the tub. Two little faces smeared with chocolate and marshmallow became stricken with guilt.

“Sorry, Misty,” one of the boys said. “We didn’t know you’d be back so soon.”

Misty shook her head as she studied them. “You know the rules. Come down from there.”

Both boys slid from the counter, and as they hit the floor, they morphed into wolf cubs, clothes falling away.

They were thicker-bodied than most wolf cubs, but they wagged their tails hard, gamboled into Misty, and then ran at Freya. They put noses to her boots and jeans, sniffing, sniffing.

“Oh, they’re adorable.” Freya crouched on the tile floor, ruffling ears and stroking heads. The cubs yelped in joy and launched themselves at her to lick her face.

“Matt and Kyle,” Misty said with fondness. “They’re twins. It’s easier to tell them apart when they’re not wolf.” Misty carried the half-eaten tub of ice cream to the table then fetched two bowls from a cupboard. “At least they used spoons this time.”

Freya sat down, cross-legged, nearly knocked over by the enthusiastic cubs. They continued sniffing, back ends swaying from their energetic tails.

“I’m a twin too,” she told them, her heart squeezing as she felt the absence of Rolf. The announcement was met with even more tail wagging. “Do they live here?” Freya asked Misty.

“Oh, yes. Graham took them in when their parents were killed.”

Graham would have, Freya realized. She recalled the day when Graham had glared down at her and Rolf, two terrified little cubs realizing they’d been left in his care. I suppose you’re staying with me now, he’d growled.

Even with this cranky declaration, Graham hadn’t fobbed Freya or Rolf off on another wolf family and didn’t leave the house without making sure they were being looked after. He hadn’t demanded absolute obedience from either of them, or anything like that. He’d been a casual foster father sometimes, but never cruel or bullying, nor did he expect anything in return for his hospitality.

These cubs were relaxed and happy, currently consumed with curiosity about Freya. Their worry when Misty had caught them with the ice cream was remorse at being caught, not fear of punishment.

Shifters were different from humans, from the ground up. The privacy Freya had built around her life to keep humans from getting too close would mean nothing at all with Shifters. Every clan and pack had their secrets, but overall privacy was an alien concept. Shifters had always lived as a community.

Shiftertowns apparently were just an extension of the prides, packs, and clan systems they’d always had. Freya would have to adjust her perceptions if she stayed—but why was she even thinking of staying?

Worry for Shane zoomed back at her. She’d felt the weirdness in the woods, and now Shane was out there, tracking it down. Without her.

As though they sensed her anxiety, the two cubs climbed onto Freya’s lap, their exuberance easing. One of the wolves continued to lick her face, but the swipes became comforting kisses.

“They’re very special cubs.” Misty poured hot coffee from an old-fashioned pot into mugs but leaned against the counter, waiting to offer it. “They’ve saved my life more than once. Graham’s too. They’re more magical than other Lupines. Guards, Graham says they’re called.”

Freya’s brows went up. She’d heard of Guardians, but not Guards. “What does that mean?”

“I’m not entirely sure. A friend of ours, Ben, another very magical person, told us about them.” Misty paused, as though she considered how much to reveal. “According to Ben, they were created to guard the highest of the Fae, like generals and even the emperor. We take good care of them, and they take care of us.”

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