Page 62 of Bear Facts

Everyone laughed, though the laughter was strained. It was uncertain whether Zander could save Leo. While Leo had never been popular, any Shifter suffering and dying was a tragedy, a loss for both his family and his community.

Rae cut through the banter by laying her bundle on the ground and pulling Freya into a gentle embrace. Freya smelled pine and warmth—Lupine scents—and sensed the wolf inside her. The sword beside them let out a shimmering hum.

“It likes you,” Zander said. “I like you.”

He waited for Rae and Freya to part before he hauled Freya into a huge bear hug. The embrace wasn’t sexual or possessive, but a welcome into Zander’s and Rae’s circle. Shane hovered, but without any jealous anger, happy that Freya was meeting his friends.

When Zander released Freya, he held her by the shoulders while she caught her breath. He peered down into her eyes, as though understanding everything about her.

“Keep him in your heart,” he said, his voice surprisingly quiet. “That way, no matter what happens, he’ll never be gone.”

Freya’s lips parted. Was he talking about Shane or her missing brother? Had Eric or Shane filled him in?

Zander grinned at her confusion then swung around and faced the gathered Shifters, fists in the air.

“Laters, peeps,” Zander boomed. “Eric, lay in the brews. I’m going to need them.”

With that cheerful statement, he strode off in the direction of Graham’s house. Rae had lifted the sword while Zander had made his loud farewell and now fell into step beside him.

“Does he know about Rolf?” Freya asked Shane. “How much did you tell him?”

“I didn’t say a word.” Shane moved to her, surrounding her in his comforting warmth. “He likes to act like he’s crazy, but Zander is very perceptive. He can read people. He’s not telepathic, but he just seems to know when you’re hurting.”

Freya edged closer to Shane, unnerved that she wanted to be next to him as often as possible. “I should go with them. Leo’s never been my favorite person, but he’s one of Graham’s pack. Not blood-related, but family all the same.”

“Yeah, we should make sure he’s all right.” Shane’s arm brushed the length of hers, as though he shared Freya’s need to be close.

While Freya hadn’t said the words that would complete the mate-claim, she knew that mating was more complicated than the rituals Shifters had created for it. The animals inside them knew exactly what their human brains took longer to acknowledge—a connection that would soon be impossible to break.

Before they could start off after Zander and Rae, Eric called out from his front porch.

“Shane. Speak to you a sec?”

Shane heaved a sigh from the soles of his motorcycle boots. “Go on, Freya. I’ll catch up. A tracker’s work is never done.”

A few days ago, Freya had considered herself capable and independent, traveling the length of California alone and sleeping outside as wolf for some of it. Now she hesitated over the distance to Graham’s house a few doors down.

Not that she was afraid. She simply didn’t want Shane out of her sight.

Eric waited, not without understanding, but his word overrode Freya’s needs. Shane sent Freya an apologetic glance before he turned from her and jogged toward Eric.

Freya squared her shoulders, told her wolf to stop growling, and made for Graham’s home.

Everyone was inside Graham’s house by the time Misty let Freya in through the kitchen.

“They’re upstairs,” Misty said. “Leo’s in a bad way. Graham is not happy.”

Her understated way of saying Graham was devastated, Freya guessed. Graham was gruff and bellowing, but when any of his Lupines were hurt, he moved heaven and earth to help them.

“I need to go up,” Freya said.

Misty drew a breath, likely to tell Freya she shouldn’t, then she nodded. “First door at the top of the stairs.”

Freya thanked her and left the kitchen, climbing the stairs through the quiet house. She had no illusion that she could assist in any physical way, but when a Shifter was hurt, even the presence of others could help.

Graham would need her more than Leo would, Freya suspected. Another broken link in the pack would be felt across it. She could at least heal the one between herself and Graham.

The bedroom she entered was large but crowded. Graham stood at the foot of the bed, his arms folded, glowering at the bloody human-shaped body that was Leo.

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