Page 14 of A Very Beary Christmas
I reached out and stroked her hair. “Yeah.”
“You need to go,” she said weakly, causing my heart to seize, until she added, “I don’t want you to catch what I have. It sucks.”
“I won’t.” My shifter nature meant I was immune to human ailments like the flu, common colds, and diseases in general, but she didn’t know that. “I’m not going anywhere. Can I get you anything? Water? Soup? Another blanket?”
“No,” she said through a yawn and a soft sigh. “I’m good. Just don’t leave yet.” Then she was asleep.
I tucked the covers around her, adding my coat, wanting her to be surrounded by my scent. It was a shifter thing.
While she rested peacefully, I familiarized myself with her space. It didn’t take long since there wasn’t much. Then I poured O’Malley’s stew into a small pot and turned the hot plate on low so it would be warm for her when she awoke.
Next, I looked through her paintings. They all had one common theme: me.
Iwas the big brown grizzly in each and every one. That amazed and humbled me. As far as I knew, Chloe had never seen me in my bear form, nor did she know about shifters. I could only surmise that whatever had forged the connection between us had also provided her with subtle hints along the way until we found each other again.
That made me feel slightly better about telling her the truth about what I was and what she was to me. I had no idea how Chloe would react, but I felt great relief in the fact that she hadn’t hated me upon sight for breaking my promise and failing to protect her all those years ago.
I settled in then pulled out my phone, typing out the message I had been praying I’d be able to send since I left the lodge.
There will be one more for Christmas. I’m bringing Chloe home.
