What are you doing?! I shout from inside.
He stomps around the campground and smells every inch of the bus while my girl stays hidden inside.
I gather my energy and wait until he’s distracted. Jemma’s clothes are hanging on a line. My grizzly catches the scent of her panties and while he’s occupied with that, I burst forward with everything I got.
I grab onto his essence and pull him in as I push my way out. He roars in outrage as the phase begins. He shakes and convulses as he tries to fight me, but I burst out, naked and breathing heavily.
“Great, you’re back,” Jemma says from inside the bus. Her tone is flat and sarcastic, which makes me smile.
“Did you miss me?” I ask.
“No.”
I sigh as I grab a rock, which is larger than the last one. I hide my little grizzly with it.
She’s silent, but I can feel her eyes on me.
“How did you do that?” she asks after a long moment.
“Do what?”
“What do you think, genius? Turn into a goddamn grizzly bear.”
“Oh,” I say with a chuckle. It’s so normal for me that I don’t think about it much.
“I’m a bear shifter. Ever heard of them?”
“Yeah. I read they were extinct.”
I grin. “Not in Montana we’re not.”
“Oh.”
I finally got her talking. I want her to keep going.
“I come from a family of grizzly bear shifters,” I tell her. “Me, my two brothers, my dad, and my grandpa before him.”
She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t scream at me to leave, so I take that as a good sign.
“I have garlic in here,” she finally says. “So, don’t come in.”
“That’s vampires,” I say, trying not to laugh.
Her voice is unreal. I can’t stop smiling, knowing I’m talking to my mate. She’s right there. Right in that bus. After a lifetime of being worlds apart, we’re this close.
But as close as she is, I still have a long way to go. She doesn’t want anything to do with me.
Convincing her to come out will be much easier if I’m covered up.
“Can I please borrow a towel?”
“No.”
I drop my head and sigh, but a few seconds later, the door opens and she tosses out a towel. The door slams shut and I can hear the click of the lock.
“Thank you,” I say as I toss the rock and rush over to grab the towel. I wrap it around my waist and tie a knot.
We’re getting somewhere…