Page 8 of Beary In Love

His phone buzzed. Nina.

"What?"

"Did you ask her?" Nina's voice crackled through the speaker.

"No."

"Logan Steele, you stubborn bear. Your animals need help."

"I'll figure something out."

"Like what?"

"She just recently got divorced, Nina. She's trying to put her life back together."

"You need a vet who knows magic. She does. It's not complicated."

"It's always complicated with Serena." The memory of their last fight flashed through his mind - her tears, his anger, words they couldn't take back.

"Only because you make it that way." Nina's voice softened. "The sanctuary needs her. Your animals need her."

Logan watched a cherry blossom land on his hood, its delicate petals a stark contrast to the truck's rugged exterior. Just like Serena had always been to him - soft where he was rough, careful where he was impulsive.

"I'll think about it."

"Don't think too long. Those animals won't heal themselves."

The line went dead, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts.

Logan soon pulled up to the sanctuary, the gravel crunching under his truck's tires. Spring flowers dotted the surrounding meadow. Their cheerful colors were a stark contrast to his mood. His bear's protective instincts surged as he approached the first enclosure.

"Hey there, buddy." He knelt beside the fox's pen. The animal's eyes were glazed. "Not doing any better, are you?"

The fox merely blinked at him, too weak to even lift its head. Logan's hands clenched into fists.

Moving to the next enclosure, he found the deer hadn't touched their food, again.

"Come on, girl." Logan offered a handful of fresh greens to the youngest doe. She turned away, her ears flat against her head. "Damn it."

His phone buzzed - another text from Nina. He ignored it, knowing exactly what it would say. The same thing she'd been telling him all afternoon: call Serena.

The scent of wildflowers and fresh grass carried on the spring breeze, along with something else lurking underneath. Something wrong. His bear caught it - a whiff of decay that shouldn't be there.

"This is definitely Silas's doing." Logan's voice rumbled with barely contained rage. He'd bet his sanctuary on it. But proving it? That was another matter entirely.

A young raccoon chittered weakly from its enclosure, drawing his attention. Its usual mischievous nature subdued by whatever magical illness plagued the sanctuary.

"I know, little guy. I'm trying." Logan reached through the bars and gently scratched behind the raccoon's ears. The animal leaned into his touch, seeking comfort. "I'm trying."

His bear stirred inside him, frustrated by their inability to protect their charges. These animals depended on him. He'd promised them safety, healing, and now...

Logan pulled out his phone, thumb hovering over Nina's latest message. Serena's face flashed through his mind again - the way she'd looked at the Cauldron & Cup, her gray eyes still holding that same determination he remembered, even behind the new uncertainty.

Logan then scrolled through his contacts. His thumb hovered over Julie's name. The raccoon chirped again, as if urginghim on. The sound of suffering animals around him made the decision easier. His bear didn't like asking for help, but sometimes being a leader meant swallowing your pride.

He pressed call before he could change his mind. The phone rang three times before Julie's cheerful voice answered.

"Logan Steele? Now this is a surprise."

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