Page 42 of Fated to the Grizzly

* * *

That night,Orion and I go sleep in the forest. There’s no way we’re staying in the family compound. He clears out a space on the forest floor and makes us a bed out of pine fronds and bracken. I swear it’s the comfiest thing I’ve ever lain on.

Then he strips me bare, and we make love under the stars, just like nature intended.

When I’m finally sated from his attentions, and my eyelids are getting heavy, he shifts into his bear, and wraps me up in his big furry body, and we fall into a deep, blissful sleep together.

17

Scout

It’s another twenty-hour hours before they let dad out of hospital. They diagnosed botulism and malnutrition. He’s going to be fine, as long as he keeps taking the bunch of antibiotics they’ve given him.

He seems different. Quieter. I hope that spending some time out in the normal world has done him good. He thanks Orion and me, shuffling his feet and unable to look us in the eye.

On our secondmorning in the forest, Orion raises himself up from our bed of bracken and sits, head cocked, frowning.

“What is it?”

“A truck approaching.”

“Can’t hear anything.”

“Just wait…” He listens for a moment. “It’s pulled up a couple of hundred yards away. Two guys have gotten out. They’re shushing each other. One is saying, “we’ve gotta look moretired, man.”

I burst out laughing. “I’ll bet a million dollars that’s my two brothers. Come on, let’s go meet them.”

By the time Vinny and Owen emerge from the forest, Orion and I are waiting by the entrance to the compound. When they catch sight of me, they do an identical double take.

“No way?” Owen mutters.

Their gaze drifts to Orion, and their shoulders stiffen at the sight of the much bigger guy.

“Got back days ago,” I say cheerfully. “What kept you?”

“We came across a lost hiker. We had to help him get back home,” Vinny says.

“Threw us right off course, so we’ve been walking for days,” Owen chips in.

I fold my arms. “That’s funny, ’cause we just heard you both getting out of a truck.”

Owen gasps in that dramatic, offended way of his. He’s been doing it since we were kids. It might’ve worked on my parents, but it’s never worked on me.

“Don’t even.” Orion steps forward.

My heart gives a little jump. I love how he’s justtherefor me. He gives me the space I need to fight my own battles, but I know he’s always ready to step in and protect me.

Owen recoils. Then he turns on me, lip curled. “It wasrealhard. How did you get back so quick?”

I shrug. “Guess I’m a pretty good survivalist after all.”

* * *

The third day comes,and I wake up, full of nerves.

“You’re gonna be great, baby,” Orion murmurs in my ear.

“How did you know I was stressed?”

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