Page 94 of Bear Facts

Shane chuckled. Bears never like to show fear.

I don’t know, Freya mused. I’ve seen you and Brody when your mom yells for you.

That’s different. Shane then directed his thoughts at Matt. Get up on my back, kid.

I can swim, Uncle Shane. I do it all the time in the pool Graham blows up for us.

Not the same thing. Shane growled. I’m not having you washed downstream and waste time looking for you and maybe having a bear decide you’d make a tasty snack. Up you go.

Matt set his body in stubborn lines, but before he could argue, Shane seized Matt by the scruff and tossed him backward onto his broad back. Matt hunkered down and quieted, as though deciding riding on Shane was more fun.

Shane plunged fully into the river, and his stifled shriek floated back to Freya. Holy Mother Goddess, that’s cold.

I thought bears never showed fear. Freya stepped delicately into the stream, agreeing that, yes, it was damn cold.

Not fear, Shane rumbled. Common sense. He continued plowing through the icy water, creating a wake behind him for Freya to follow. Though my common sense is saying it wants to be snuggled in bed. With you.

The warmth that washed through Freya almost cut the chill of the river. She hurried after Shane as he parted the water, the wolf knowing she’d follow him anywhere.

Matt clung to Shane’s back as he waded and then swam across the river, Freya close behind him. On the far side, Shane heaved and bounded up onto the bank. Matt dropped off and shot out of the way as Shane shook himself, water going everywhere.

Freya waited until he was done before she scrambled up beside him. You could hire yourself out as a lawn sprinkler.

Very funny, my mate—hey! Shane yelped as Freya shook herself from nose to tail, spraying droplets all over him. Matt laughed from the shelter of a small tree. He was the only one who’d stayed dry.

Shane gave his fur a final ripple. Where to now?

Freya stood still as wind, chilling with the coming night, poured down the hill to them. It was cold, but in their wolf and bear forms they could forge a river and stand in the winter breeze to dry off with only a few grumbles.

Ahead of them was more woods, the ground rockier on this side, the scrub more sparse.

Freya faced the direction from which she’d felt the pull to her brother. It was still there, stronger now. This way.

Are you sure it’s him? Shane asked. Not someone messing with you?

I don’t know how they could be. Freya probed the connection, but it was insubstantial, dissolving as she reached for it. Only when she let it come without resistance did she feel Rolf’s unmistakable presence. It’s Rolf. I’m certain.

It’s him, Uncle Shane, Matt put in. Twins know.

Shane tested the air and turned in the direction Freya indicated. All right. Let’s go pull his balls from the fire.

Freya’s gratitude swelled as Shane moved in front of her to lead. He’d been helping her since the moment he’d met her, been beside her to face her past. He’d listened to her story, believed her, and comforted her.

Why shouldn’t she want a mate like him?

Matt trotted along beside Freya, the cub full of confidence and vitality, as the path took them into woods that grew deeper and denser. The trees here must be mostly old growth, with few harvested in this remote region. Now it was a protected national forest, if Freya remembered correctly from the maps they’d viewed last night.

They moved on without speaking, saving their energy for what might come.

The overpowering smell of feral Shifters hit Freya abruptly, as though a wall of scent had suddenly slammed into their path. Both Shane and Freya halted, gagging, and Matt said Ewwww.

Shane silently urged them forward. He lowered himself to creep along the ground, and Freya followed suit. The feral Shifters, with senses heightened by their primal state, would scent them quickly, even through their own stink.

At the same time, Freya and Shane had to be alert for whatever humans might be guarding the Shifters. Humans would carry weapons for both tranquilizing and for killing, knowing they wouldn’t be safe around unpredictable Shifters without them.

Shane dropped all the way to the ground and stilled. Freya slunk beside him and sank to her belly. Matt, thankfully, stayed quietly next to Freya.

There. Shane indicated what he was looking at.

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