Page 13 of Beary In Love

"Whatever you say, honey. Whatever you say."

6

LOGAN

Logan watched Serena's car disappear down the winding road, her taillights fading into the growing dusk.

"Well, that went better than expected," he muttered to himself as he turned back to check on the recovering animals.

The sick fox in the recovery pen let out a small yip, already showing more energy than it had in days.

"Yeah, I know. She fixed you right up, didn't she?" He crouched by the pen and checked the water bowl. "Should've known it'd take someone special to figure this out."

His bear booms with satisfaction deep in his chest. She'd changed, sure - the messy bun replacing her once-perfect ponytail, those blue glasses perched on her nose, and the confidence in her movements when she worked with the animals. But watching her mix those potions, the way she'd absently pushed her glasses up with the back of her hand while concentrating…

"Damn," he said to the fox, who tilted its head at him. "She's even more beautiful now."

Not to mention the way she'd finished his sentence that had knocked him sideways. That connection, that spark - it was still there, crackling between them like static electricity.

"Not that it matters," he told himself firmly. "She's got divorce written all over her face, and I've got Silas breathing down my neck."

But his bear disagreed beneath his skin. The animal remembered her scent, remembered how right it felt having her here in their territory.

"Down, boy," Logan muttered. "She's not looking for anything. And neither are we."

He busied himself with the evening feeding routine, trying to ignore how empty the sanctuary felt without her presence.

The bear grumbled. Logan ignored it. He had enough problems without adding unrequited feelings for his ex to the mix. Even if she did make those adorable little humming sounds when she was thinking hard about something, just like she used to.

"Man, timing's never been our strong suit, has it?"

The fox yipped again, as if agreeing.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Keep my mind on business." He picked up the feed bucket and headed to the next enclosure. "Professional distance. I can do that."

Suddenly, Logan's nostrils flared as he caught a potent scent - musky, wild, with an underlying hint of rage. Another bear shifter. One he knew all too well.

"Son of a bitch!" He dropped the feed bucket, spilling pellets across the ground. The raccoon in the nearby enclosure chittered in protest. "Sorry, buddy. Dinner's gonna be late."

His bear surged forward for the shift. Logan stripped efficiently, stashing his clothes behind a storage bin. The transformation rippled through him - muscles expanding, bones lengthening, fur sprouting thick and dark brown across his body.Within seconds, a massive Kodiak bear stood where the man had been.

Logan's enhanced senses picked up everything. The wind carried traces of Silas's scent from the northwest beyond the tree line. His bear's instincts screamed territory, protect, and defend.

He padded silently through the sanctuary past the recovering animals. The fox whined softly as he passed. Logan huffed quietly, a reassuring sound. No one was getting near his charges. Not tonight.

The scent grew stronger as he approached the perimeter. Through the trees, he caught glimpses of movement - another bear, nearly as large as himself, prowling the edge of his property. Silas. The other Kodiak’s fur was lighter than Logan's, with a distinctive scar across his shoulder that hadn't been there before prison.

Logan's bear wanted to charge and defend what was his. But the man knew better. Silas was testing him, trying to provoke a reaction. Looking for weaknesses.

Logan remained still, watching. His territory. His animals. His responsibility. And now Serena was involved too. The thought of her potentially crossing paths with Silas made his bear snarl internally.

Silas continued his circuit of the property, marking trees as he went - a clear challenge. Logan's claws dug into the earth. The urge to rush out there and settle this was almost overwhelming. But instead, Logan settled on a warning. His growl rumbled through the clearing, deep and threatening.

His bear's hackles rose as Silas's scent grew stronger and even closer instead of backing off. The lighter-colored Kodiak paused, then melted back into human form with a fluid grace that spoke of practice.

Logan's bear bristled at the sight of his naked former friend standing so casually on his territory. Silas's scarred shouldercaught the moonlight as he stretched, a smirk playing across his face.

"Quite the menagerie you've got here," Silas called out, his voice carrying across the distance between them. "Shame about all the sick ones though. Must be something going around."

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