Page 5 of Holly's Grizzly

“My name is Holly,” I manage to choke out.

“Hi, Holly,” he says, his voice a quiet rumble in the falling snow.

It’s almost peaceful now, but that could also be the hypothermia setting in. Thick flakes stick in Irving’s hair and beard as he moves closer and crouches down next to me, and somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind the wordbeautifulflicks in, then out, then disappears completely as he speaks again.

“I’m going to pick you up,” he says, still so low and gentle. “Are you hurt anywhere? Anything broken?”

I shake my head. Not that I really have any idea if anything is hurt or broken, but it doesn’t feel like it. I’m just cold as hell and ready to get inside somewhere.

Even if thatsomewhereis with a naked bear shifter who just appeared out of the forest.

Stranger things have happened, right?

Maybe not.

Maybe this is all some hallucination my brain cooked up to keep me from realizing I’m about to freeze to death, but I’m not going to question it.

“Alright.” He tucks his arms beneath me, lifting me into a bridal-style carry with absolutely no apparent effort. No struggle, no caught breath or grunt of difficulty, just a smooth rise and a gentle jostle as he tucks me into the furnace of his chest. “Easy, now.”

I can’t help it, I moan. Nuzzling my face against the thick mat of hair and nestling into the incredible warmth of him, the sound slips out before I can stop it.

Irving freezes. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” I whisper, and my voice comes out in a broken rasp, the single word an effort as relief crashes over me and I truly realize for the first time that I might not die after all. “No. You didn’t hurt me.”

He grunts his acknowledgment as he starts moving, snow crunching underfoot.

The warmth of him, the strength, the steady hold of his arms, and the undeniable sense of safety that wraps itself around me like a warm blanket is suddenly too much. Tears prick hot and embarrassing in the backs of my eyes.

I’m not going to die.

I don’t have the faintest idea where he’s taking me, and maybe it’s just the cold and the fear playing havoc with my sense of self-preservation, but… I feel like I can trust him. He told me he wouldn’t hurt me, and whether or not it makes me an idiot, I believe him.

All those emotions lodge themselves in my throat, and a small, pitiful sob breaks free.

“It’s alright,” Irving soothes, shifting his arms to press me more firmly against him. “You’re alright, Holly. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

The forest passes swiftly as Irving carries me to wherever it is we’re going, and I let myself close my eyes. His feet are sure and his stride steady, the warmth of him chasing away the biting cold.

2

Irving

Holly goes quiet and still in my arms, and alarm bells immediately start ringing.

Did she pass out?

She seemed… well,fineisn’t exactly the word I would use, but at least somewhat coherent when I picked her up. Drenched through, and absolutely at risk of exposure if she stayed out here much longer, but not in imminent danger.

“Holly,” I say, jostling her slightly. “Still with me?”

Instead of answering, she lets out a soft, disgruntled grunt, and it’s enough to loosen my tense muscles a bit as she settles herself back against my chest.

My naked chest.

Because if that isn’t just the bizarre cherry on top of this shit sundae of a situation—somehow, some way, ending up bare-ass naked out in the woods, saving a woman who by the looks of things crawled her way out of the river not long before I reached her.

But maybe it’s also a stroke of luck.

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