Page 5 of Bear Love's Hidden Destiny
“Next time?” I said, my grin matching hers. “Planning ahead already?”
She blushed, but didn’t back down. “Maybe. Unless you’re scared you can’t keep up.”
I chuckled, my hand sliding to her waist. “Challenge accepted.”
“You’re such a dork,” she said, shaking her head, but her smile was soft, warm. She poked my chest, her voice teasing. “Big tough park ranger, huh? Bet you spend your days rescuing squirrels and flirting with hikers.”
“Squirrels don’t need rescuing,” I said, catching her hand. “And I don’t flirt. You’re the one who keeps looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” she said, her eyes wide with fake innocence.
“Like you’re trouble,” I said, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “Beautiful trouble.”
She groaned, but her laugh was bright, and she nestled back against my chest, her arms wrapping around me. “You’re impossible,” she murmured, her voice sleepy. I held her tight, my fingers tracing slow circles on her back, her warmth grounding me. But my senses were already shifting outward. The forest was too still, the kind of quiet that set my bear on edge. A pressure hung in the air, like a breath held too long. I listened, my ears straining past the crackle of the fire, past Isabella’s steady breathing.
A heavy branch creaked outside the cabin, followed by slow, deliberate footsteps in the dirt. Someone was watching us.
Chapter Five
Isabella
I woke slowly, my body still tingling from the night before. Every muscle ached in a way that brought a flush to my cheeks, memories of Benedict’s hands, his mouth, his weight against me flooding my mind. I opened my eyes, the dim light of the cabin soft against the wooden walls. Benedict stood by the window, his back to me, every line of his body tense, like a coiled spring ready to snap. His face was calm, but his shoulders betrayed him, rigid with alertness. The fire had dwindled to embers, casting a faint glow across the room. I sat up, pulling the blanket tighter around me, my skin prickling in the cool air. My journal lay open on the floor, its pages splayed like an invitation. I reached for it, my fingers brushing the worn leather, and flipped to the last few pages, searching for anything I’d overlooked.
In the faint firelight, a symbol stood out beneath my name, one I hadn’t noticed before. It was subtle, nearly invisible in daylight, but the glow brought it into sharp focus, a claw curled around a flame, precise and deliberate. My breath caught. I’d seen that symbol in old texts, buried in myths from grad school.The mark of a Veilborn, a bloodline tied to ancient magic, dismissed by most scholars as folklore. I flipped back through the journal, my grandfather’s notes suddenly making sense. His cryptic sketches, the rushed warnings, the maps pointing to Fir Hollow, they weren’t random. He knew I’d end up here. He knew I’d awaken something, something he’d spent his life protecting. I ran my fingers over the page, tracing the symbol, my mind racing. This was bigger than I’d thought, and Benedict was right in the middle of it.
I glanced at him, still by the window, his eyes scanning the dark outside. “Benedict,” I said, keeping my voice steady despite the knot in my stomach. “You need to see this.”
He turned, his gaze sharp, and crossed the room in two quick strides. I held up the journal, pointing to the symbol. “This mark, it’s in your carvings, your tattoo, and now here, under my name. It’s a Veilborn symbol. My grandfather knew about it. He knew I’d come here.”
His jaw tightened, his eyes darkening as he took the journal, studying the page. “You’re sure?” he asked, his voice low and guarded.
“I’m an archaeologist,” I said, standing up, the blanket still wrapped around me. “I know what I’m looking at. This isn’t some random doodle. It’s tied to this place, to me. What’s a Veilborn, Benedict? And don’t lie to me this time.”
He set the journal on the table, his hands flexing like he was fighting to stay calm. “It’s an old bloodline,” he said after a pause. “Tied to Esoterra, to the magic that keeps this place hidden. Most of them are gone. The Council made sure of that.”
“The Council,” I said, crossing my arms, the blanket slipping slightly. “What happens if they find out about me?”
He met my eyes, his voice flat. “If they think you’re a threat, they’ll bind you to Esoterra, make you stay forever. Or they’ll eliminate you. There’s no middle ground.”
My stomach twisted, but I kept my expression steady. “Eliminate me? Like, kill me?”
He nodded once, his face hard. “They don’t take chances with outsiders. Especially not ones with old blood.”
I paced to the fireplace, the blanket trailing behind me. “My grandfather was part of this, wasn’t he? He lived here, or knew about it. That’s why he left me the journal. He wanted me to find this place.”
“Isabella,” Benedict said, stepping closer. “You need to stop. This is bigger than you, bigger than that journal. You go digging, you’re painting a target on your back.”
“I’m done sitting around,” I said, turning to face him. “If my grandfather was here, if he was part of Esoterra, I need to see it for myself. I need answers, and I’m not getting them from you. Take me deeper into the forest, to the heart of this place.”
He shook his head, his voice firm. “It’s too dangerous. The Council doesn’t tolerate outsiders. Even I’m under watch. You step into their territory, you’re not walking out.”
“I’m not asking,” I said, my voice rising. “I’m going, with or without you. But I’d rather you lead the way, since you know this place. I’ll follow your rules, but I’m not turning back.”
He stared at me, his eyes searching mine, like he was weighing his options. Then he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. Wear your clothes already before you distract me and we stay locked in here for a whole week.”
I laughed, caught off guard, but before I could move, he reached for the blanket, tugging it gently until it slipped from my shoulders, pooling at my feet. “Beautiful,” he said, his voice soft, his eyes roaming over me in a way that made my skin flush.
I swatted his hand, my cheeks burning. “Hey! Give me a second to breathe, you caveman.”
