Page 71 of The Bear's Reluctant Mate

“Do you know where he is?” Marion asked quietly, glancing over her shoulder to ensure Heather hadn’t followed them outside.

“I can’t sense him,” Alfie admitted, then lifted his head and inhaled deeply. “But I can scent him.”

Marion’s eyebrow arched skeptically. “You can smell him?”

“All my senses are heightened,” Alfie explained. “And since the trail is fresh, I should be able to follow it.”

Marion’s face paled suddenly. “Is he alone?”

Alfie took another deep breath, filtering out the neighborhood smells—the barbecue three houses down, the freshly cut grass next door, the lavender in Marion’s garden. There—Charlie’s scent. Untainted by any other human presence.

“Yes,” Alfie confirmed, closing the distance between them to pull Marion into his arms. “I will find him, I promise.” He pressed a reassuring kiss to her cheek.

“As a bear or a man?” she whispered against his ear, her breath warm on his skin.

“A man,” Alfie replied reluctantly, letting her go. “It’s too busy on the streets for my bear.”

Even in a town like Bear Creek, where shifters were common, folks would panic at the sight of a bear loping down the sidewalk in broad daylight. And Charlie still had no idea about shifters. The poor kid had been traumatized enough without a bear encounter.

Maybe he would like a bear encounter,his bear countered hopefully.

Not today,Alfie replied.

“What do I do?” Marion asked, her hands twisting together anxiously.

Alfie was already heading back toward the street, Charlie’s scent pulling him forward like an invisible thread. “Keep your phone on you. I’ll let you know where he is.”

He nodded briefly at Heather as he jogged past her on the porch, ignoring her startled expression. Skirting around his truck, he set off down the street, his focus narrowing to the invisible trail only he could detect.

Charlie’s scent led him past the neighbor’s house, around the corner, and down the street toward the small park three blocks away. The boy had been moving quickly at first. Almost running, Alfie guessed from the spacing of the scent markers but had slowed as he approached the park.

Alfie pulled out his phone, sending Marion a quick text:Heading to Maple Street Park. He’s on foot.

The park came into view, a modest green space with swings, a slide, and a small wooded area in the back. Charlie’s scent veered away from the playground, where a few children were playing under parental supervision, and toward the trees instead.

Smart kid,Alfie thought. Charlie had sought solitude, not wanting to be found or questioned by well-meaning adults.

The scent grew stronger as Alfie approached the tree line. He slowed his pace, not wanting to startle the boy if he was hiding nearby. The last thing he needed was for Charlie to bolt deeper into the woods in fear.

We would find him,Alfie’s bear said.

But it would be better if this did not become a hunt,Alfie told his bear.

There,his bear said.He’s in that tree.

I see him,Alfie said, relief making his stomach twist.

“Charlie?” he called softly, just loud enough to be heard but not so loud as to carry to the playground. “It’s Alfie. Are you in there, buddy?”

Of course, Alfie knew he was there. But he wanted Charlie to answer, to want to be found.

“Alfie?” Charlie said in a small voice from a low branch.

“Hey,” Alfie said, relief washing through him. “That’s quite a climbing spot you found.”

Charlie didn’t respond, just hugged his knees tighter.

“Mind if I join you?” Alfie asked, already reaching for a low branch.

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