Page 9 of The Bear's Reluctant Mate

And what a world it was!

Alfie pressed his foot a little harder on the accelerator, weaving through the light morning traffic of Bear Creek. His heart seemed to thud against his ribs, each beat seeming to say, “Marion, Marion, Marion.”

What am I going to say to her?he muttered as he turned onto Maple Street.

His bear huffed.The truth.

I can’t just blurt out ‘You’re my mate’ to a human woman I just met,Alfie argued.She’d think I was insane.

And everyone else will think you are insane if you don’t,his bear replied lightly.

Alfie chuckled.You know that is not true. Neither Kris nor Philip blurted that out when they first met their mates.

But this is our second meeting,his bear reminded him as they neared the entrance to the garden project.

It was busier than Alfie had expected, but then he realized Saturday morning volunteers always showed up in droves. Cars filled the small parking area, and people spilled out onto the grass, carrying tools and wearing work gloves. There was a sense of camaraderie as neighbors greeted each other, and children ran around together like spring lambs. It was as if everyone was eager to be part of something bigger than themselves.

But beyond all that, Alfie could sense his mate. It was as if there was a thread connecting them, an unbreakable thread that pulled taut the moment he turned off the engine. She was here, somewhere among the crowd, and his bear stirred with anticipation, needing to see her, touch her again.

He parked his truck at the edge of the lot and got out, his palms suddenly damp. What was he doing? He didn’t want Marion to think he was stalking her. The thought made his stomach clench. He had given no sign back at the garden center that he was coming over here today, so to suddenly turn up would take some explaining.

He cursed under his breath. Stupid, stupid. He should have collected another couple of trays of plants from the greenhouse. Then he could have said that he’d forgotten to give them to Marion and that was why he was here. It would have been believable, reasonable, not at all like a man desperately following his mate across town.

We could still do that,his bear suggested hopefully.

We could.Alfie glanced back at his truck. There was still time to turn around and head back to the garden center. Marion had not seen him yet. She would never know he’d been here. He could preserve his dignity, give her space, and approach this whole thing more cautiously...

But then his breath caught.

It was as if the people milling around the parking lot, talking excitedly about the project, suddenly parted like a living sea. And there she was.

Looking straight at him.

Their eyes met across the distance, and Alfie felt that same jolt of recognition, of rightness, that had knocked him sideways at the garden center. But then Marion’s expression shifted fromsurprise to something unreadable, then to a set expression of careful neutrality that didn’t quite hide the pink rising in her cheeks.

Too late,his bear said happily.

Alfie swallowed hard. There was no turning back now. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing his feet to move. One step, then another, each one carrying him closer to his mate, who was standing next to Charlie. The boy looked a little lost, overwhelmed by the other people, but then he noticed Alfie. He smiled and tugged on Marion’s sleeve, pointing.

Alfie raised his hand, but then Alfie’s stomach dropped as he realized who Marion was talking to.

Finn.

This added an extra layer of complications since Finn did not know that he had made another matchmaking mix-up. Alfie’s mind raced. How was he going to explain showing up here? How was he going to act normal around his brother when every instinct screamed at him to pull Marion into his arms?

“Hi, Alfie!” Finn raised his hand as he saw his brother approaching, a clipboard tucked under one arm. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.”

“Morning, Finn.” Alfie tore his gaze from his mate and glanced around, trying to look casual. “Quite the turnout.”

But he could not resist stealing another look at her. It was almost impossible to resist. Marion watched him, one hand resting protectively on Charlie’s shoulder.

“Yes!” Finn grinned widely as he looked around at the bustling crowd. But then his brows tugged together, and he studied Alfie closely as his brother closed the distance between them, trying to act natural, even though it felt as if he hadforgotten how to walk properly. “Everything okay at the garden center?”

“Yes,” Alfie replied bluntly.

“Marion was just telling me about the mix-up with the messages,” Finn went on, and there was something in his voice, a dawning suspicion that made Alfie’s pulse quicken.

“Yes, I was expecting Mary-Ann,” Alfie said, proud of how steady his voice sounded.

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