Page 34 of Beary In Love

"You're impossible."

"You might've mentioned that earlier." He grinned as she rolled her eyes.

"Still true though."

The potion bubbled, turning a soft golden color that matched the owl's eyes. Serena nodded in satisfaction and began bottling it up.

Logan watched Serena's steady hands as she administered the golden potion to the owl. His bear rumbled with satisfaction at her caring for his animals. The owl's feathers gleamed in the late afternoon sun.

"Easy there, big guy," she murmured to the bird. "This'll help that wing heal faster."

"You should've seen the first animal I helped here," Logan said, crossing his arms and leaning against the enclosure. "Little fox kit, barely old enough to walk. Found him trapped in some idiot's illegal snare."

"What happened to him?"

"Named him Trouble. Still visits sometimes, actually." Logan's lips quirked up. "See that scar on my thumb? That's from when he decided my hand was a chew toy."

Serena finished with the owl and turned to face him. "So, your parents really just gave you all this land?"

"More like they got tired of finding injured animals in their garage." He shrugged. "Dad said if I was going to keep bringing strays home, I might as well do it properly."

"Smart guy."

"Should've seen his face when I brought home that bear cub though." Logan chuckled at the memory. "Mom about had a heart attack."

"You didn't."

"Sure did. Named her Princess."

Serena's laugh echoed throughout the sanctuary. "The big bad bear shifter had a cub named Princess?"

"Hey now, she picked it." He pushed off the frame and moved closer. "Wouldn't answer to anything else. Stubborn little thing, reminded me of someone else I know."

"I have no idea who you're talking about." But her eyes sparkled.

"Course not." He reached past her to adjust the owl's perch, letting his arm brush against hers.

Logan soon led Serena to the deer enclosure. She leaned against the fence, watching the young fawn that had arrived last week.

"So there I was, first day of clinicals," Serena said, pushing her glasses up. "This massive Great Dane comes in. I mean huge. And I'm trying to be professional, right? But this dog decides my scrubs are the perfect place to wipe his drool."

"Bet that went over well with your fancy city clinic."

"Oh, it gets better. He knocked me flat on my back, sat on my chest, and refused to move." She grinned. "My supervisor found me pinned under two hundred pounds of stubborn dog who thought he'd found his new best friend."

Logan's laugh rumbled deep in his chest. "Sounds like my kind of dog."

She smiled, but then it faded slightly. "You know, I used to imagine telling you these stories. Back when..."

"When you first left?" His bear stirred restlessly. "I wanted to call. A thousand times."

"Why didn't you?"

"Pride. Stubbornness." He ran a hand through his hair. "Fear."

"Fear?" Her gray eyes widened.

"You were going places, Serena. Big cities, fancy schools. I was just the local bear who liked helping injured squirrels." He met her gaze. "I convinced myself you'd realize how small town I was and never look back."

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