Page 9 of Beary In Love

"Julie." He cleared his throat. "Listen, I need a favor."

"Must be serious if you're calling me."

"It's about Serena." The words came out rougher than he intended. "I've got some sick animals here. Need someone who knows both veterinary medicine and magic."

"And you want to hire her?" Julie's voice held a teasing note that made him grip the phone tighter.

"This isn't personal. It's business." His bear disagreed, rumbling inside him at the lie. "The animals are suffering, and I'm running out of options."

"Uh-huh. Just business." Julie laughed. "Hold on a sec."

There was rustling on the other end of the line, followed by muffled voices. His enhanced hearing picked up Julie saying, "It's Logan. He wants to talk to you about a job."

Logan's heart hammered in his chest. He hadn't expected Julie to put Serena on the phone right away. He wasn't prepared. The sound of the phone changing hands seemed to echo in his ears.

"Serena?" His voice came out deeper than usual, his bear pushing forward at the prospect of talking to her. The silence on the other end of the line stretched out, making his skin prickle with anticipation. Through the phone, he caught the soft sound of her breath, bringing back memories of whispered conversations and stolen kisses under starlit skies.

"Logan?" Serena's voice finally came through soft and uncertain, making his bear pace inside him.

"Yeah, I'm here." He leaned against the raccoon's enclosure, gathering his thoughts. "Listen, I've got a bit of a situation here at the sanctuary."

"Oh?"

"Several animals are sick with something the regular vet can't figure out. I'm thinking it might be..." He paused, watching the raccoon's labored breathing. "Magical in nature."

He heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end. "What are their symptoms?"

Logan's bear approved of her immediate shift to professional mode. "Lethargy, loss of appetite. Some have glazed eyes, others won't touch their food. Nothing shows up in regular tests."

"That does sound unusual." Papers rustled in the background. "Have you tried-"

"Everything I can think of." He kicked his foot back and forth in the dirt. "Look, I know this is awkward, but you're exactly what I need right now." The words came out before he could rephrase them. "For the animals, I mean. A vet who understands magic."

A pause stretched between them filled with unspoken history.

"I'll pay your regular rates, of course," he added quickly. "Plus extra for the magical consultation."

"Logan..." She sighed, and he could picture her pushing her glasses up her nose like she always did when thinking. "I don't know if-"

"Please." The word cost him, but his bear didn't care about pride when their charges were suffering. "They're getting worse."

Another pause. The raccoon chirped weakly, as if adding its own plea.

"Okay," she said finally. "I can come by tomorrow morning. But this is strictly professional."

"Wouldn't dream of it being anything else." His bear huffed at the lie. "Nine work for you?"

"Nine's fine. I’ll have Julie text you my new number. Then, you can text me the address."

"Will do. And Serena?" His voice roughened. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet. I haven't even seen them."

The call ended, leaving Logan staring at his phone. His bear roared with satisfaction at getting help for their animals, even as the man worried about spending time alone with Serena again.

Later that night, Logan paced the length of his cabin's living room, the moonlight streaming in through the windows. His bear's restless energy matched his own as he checked his phone for the tenth time that hour. The message he'd sent Serena with the sanctuary's address remained unanswered.

"Get it together," he muttered. "She's just coming to check on the animals."

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