Page 81 of Bear Facts

“She’ll struggle to merge her memories to what she did when feral,” Zander said. “That’s what happens. She might recall everything, or nothing. Nothing would be kinder.”

Shane couldn’t argue. He knew it would be hard on Keira to remember being out of control and anyone she’d hurt along the way.

He plunked himself on the couch. “She kept saying Freya was special. That she trusted only Freya, not the rest of us, to keep her safe.”

Zander frowned. “Interesting.”

“Keira didn’t worry about Matt and Kyle, either. She was gentle until she saw you.” Shane huffed a laugh. “’Course, you do look like a crazy fiend sometimes.”

“Thanks.” Zander smoothed his stark white braids. “I try. But yeah, she instinctively knew not to hurt them.”

“Matt said something like Zander thinks he can heal you, but you’re already fine. He also said, We’ll fix you.”

Zander shrugged. “Cubs being cubs?” He sounded dubious.

“Could they be healers?” Shane wondered. “Graham and Misty say they’re descendants of very powerful Shifters from back in the days we were enthralled to the Fae. Maybe they had healing powers too.”

“I don’t know about that,” Zander said. “I’ve spent my life avoiding anything Fae. I live in this world, I’ve found the mate of my heart, and the distant past is dead and gone.” He spoke with finality.

“Except the Fae keep dredging up that past,” Shane said. “Fae have been trying to capture or coerce Shifters to fight for them, to be their Battle Beasts again.”

“Yep, I am aware. You think this mercenary outfit making Shifters feral has anything to do with the Fae? Eric and Graham brought me up to speed on that.”

“Who knows?” Shane asked. “I wouldn’t put it past the Fae to use human mercenaries to do their dirty work. Then again, I wouldn’t put it past humans to figure out how to use Shifters for their own benefit. Fae might have nothing to do with it. I didn’t scent anything Fae on Keira.”

“I didn’t either. What I mostly scented when I walked into the room downstairs—besides feral wolf—was a bear and a Lupine getting friendly.” Zander’s big face split with a grin. “Congratulations, Shane. I’ll be dancing at your mating ceremony.”

“Nothing’s settled yet,” Shane said.

The tactile memory of Freya under him, their bodies locked together, had tormented him all day, as had the beautiful image of Freya on top of him, her face soft with pleasure.

Zander’s laughter broke through Shane’s hot daydream. “Like I said, I’ll be dancing. You two have already figured it out. You just need to say the words.”

Shane hoped it would be that simple. He drank his beer in silence, the remembered heat of Freya starting to blot out all doubt.

“I don’t remember much,” Keira said. She sat cross-legged on the bed, dressed in sweatpants and a flower-print top much too big for her—one of Nell’s. Rae and Freya had helped her shower in a large bathroom that had a massive standalone tub plus enormous shower stall with several shower heads, then found her clothes from Nell’s wardrobe.

The wolf cubs had been banished from the bathroom and had fallen asleep on pillows on the bed while they waited for the adults to finish up.

Keira now had one cub on each knee, where they’d planted themselves as though they’d decided to be Keira’s protectors. The little wolves drowsed, each opening an eye from time to time to peek at her.

“I ran away from my Shiftertown,” Keira said. “That I do remember.”

“We have something in common then.” Freya was perched on the edge of the bed, while Rae lounged in one of the big chairs, her sword on the floor at her side. “I ran away too,” Freya continued. “From a mate-claim I didn’t want, plus the Collars.”

“I was pretty far down in my pack, nearly at the bottom.” Keira shivered. “Everyone’s pretty keen on the hierarchy there.”

“The Northern Idaho Shiftertown?” Rae asked. “I’ve heard they’re sticklers for Shifter tradition. I’m from Montana. That Shiftertown is too, but they’re adapting. It was a huge shock when I was Chosen as Guardian.”

Keira nodded somberly. “You’d have been driven out of our Shiftertown. The leader says he’s hard on us for our own good, but I think he just likes his power.”

“I used to believe Graham was like that,” Freya said. “In reality, he has a lot of compassion while he pretends to be a hard-ass. Although sometimes, he’s not pretending.”

“Lucas doesn’t have any compassion at all.” Keira scowled. “He’s a Feline who doesn’t like wolves, and my pack leader is too scared to stand up to him. My immediate family were mostly all gone before Shiftertowns started, and I was stuck into the Idaho one. I’m only distantly related to my pack leader, and he wasn’t very interested in supporting me. I finally couldn’t take it anymore and left. No one tried very hard to stop me.”

Whereas Graham had made certain Freya and Rolf got away safely and were cared for along their journey. The difference between a good leader and one only interested in his status, Freya mused.

“How did your Collar come off?” Freya asked.

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