Page 7 of The Bear's Reluctant Mate

“I guess,” Charlie said, his voice small as his gaze drifted back toward the fountain where butterflies still danced in the morning light.

Marion caught that longing look and felt the familiar tug of guilt. She’d love to say yes. But she had to take extra care with her responsibilities. She had to be practical and think about what was best for her nephew. If she got this wrong… Well, the consequences were unthinkable.

“Okay, let’s go,” she said with a gentle finality, watching Charlie’s shoulders slump as he climbed into the backseat.

Alfie closed the trunk with a solid thunk, his previously bright expression dimming. He hesitated by the driver’s side door, with one hand on the roof of the car.

“I should have mentioned that there is a café inside,” he said suddenly, nodding toward the building. “It’s the best-kept secret in Bear Creek.”

Marion paused with her hand on the door handle. “The best-kept secret, huh?”

“Well, one of them,” he replied with a cryptic smile that made her wonder what other secrets Bear Creek—or Alfie himself—might be hiding.

As she looked up at him, she found herself wanting to stay, to learn more about this man with his plant-whispering ways and gentle manner with Charlie.

Which meant it wasdefinitelytime to go.

Chapter Three – Alfie

Alfie stood rooted to the spot as Marion drove away, taking Charlie and a piece of his heart with her.

His bear paced restlessly inside him, torn between euphoria at finally meeting their mate and dismay at watching her leave.We found her,his bear whispered in wonder.After all this time, we finally found her.

And let her go,Alfie added, his chest tight with an ache that felt both ancient and brand new.

“So Mary-Ann came for the plants for the garden project?”

Alfie was startled by Daisy’s voice and turned to see her approaching with two steaming mugs of coffee. The morning sun caught the wisps of gray in her hair, and he could swear there was something different about her. A glow that hadn’t been there when she’d left for the café.

“Mary-Ann?” The name felt foreign on his tongue, belonging to a world that existed before Marion had walked into his life and rearranged everything he thought he knew about himself.

Because hewasdifferent.

Maybe we are glowing, too,his bear said.

Maybe,Alfie murmured, casting one last look in the direction his mate had disappeared in.

Daisy’s brows tugged together as she studied him, her keen eyes missing nothing. “Are you okay? You look...” She paused, searching for the right word. “Different.”

He accepted the coffee with hands that weren’t quite steady, taking a sip to buy himself time to compose himself. The familiarbitter warmth did nothing to fill the Marion-shaped void already forming in his chest.

“Alfie?” Daisy pressed, and he should have known better than to think he could hide anything from her. She’d known him too long, seen him through too many seasons of growth and change.

But before he could formulate a response, before he could even begin to explain what had just happened, Daisy’s eyes widened. She took a step back, one hand flying to cover her mouth.

“You met her?”

Alfie could only nod, not trusting his voice. Now that Marion had left, he was beginning to think he had dreamed the whole thing.

No!his bear said.She was not a dream. She’s as real as the monarch butterflies.

But then Alfie’s coffee mug nearly went flying as Daisy squealed and threw her arms around his neck. He barely managed to keep hold of it as he wrapped his arm around her and hugged her back.

When Daisy stepped back, her eyes were bright with tears of joy. “So where is she? Who is she?” She craned her neck, looking over his shoulder as if Marion might materialize in the parking lot through sheer force of will.

“Marion.” He grinned as he said her name. “Her name is Marion.”

“Is she still here?” Daisy asked, grinning right along with him.

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