Page 19 of Hers to Call
“What’s wrong, how can I help?” Her voice only barely wavered. Kudos to her, considering she was scared out of her mind.
“I don’t know,” he croaked. “It hurts, my bear wants out. Oh God!”
Her stomach surged, and bile rose as she realized the kid was going to turn into a bear, right in the middle of the town square. Hell, right in front of her! She’d read up on bears and shifters before she made the decision to take Selena up on her offer of a job and she was pretty sure there was a protocol for them shifting in public. Especially in a place where tourists and humans frequented. Not only was the kid in pain, but he could be in a world of trouble with the law. No, she wouldn’t let that happen to him.
She’d read that the younger bears had a harder time with their instincts, and from the panic widening this kid’s eyes, she had to guess it was his first time shifting. How much control would he have? A fresh wave of fear threatened to eat through her calm façade.
She rubbed his arms. “Okay, okay. I don’t think this is a good place to let him out. What can we do?”
He shook his head, his dark eyes wide, and glittering as he and bear struggled. Sweat beaded along the brown skin of his forehead. Not good. She took a deep breath.
Her mind flipped through techniques her therapist talked about to handle her own panic attacks. “Well, let’s try breathing, yes?” Calita pushed out a breath through her lips and breathed in through her nose. “Follow me, okay.”
He nodded. They breathed together for a few minutes until someone shouted out a warning from behind her. His attention diverted, claws pierced his hands and he screamed in pain.
She gripped his shoulders. “No, no, focus on me, focus on me. Let’s breathe, we were doing so great. Tell me your name.”
“Cole,” he grit out.
Tears leaked from his eyes, and she hurt for him. She grabbed his cheeks and pulled his attention. They looked into each other’s eyes and she started breathing again. Soon, he matched her rhythm. She rubbed a hand down his arm, her clammy palm cold in contrast to his scorching skin. His body temperature lowered as they continued their breaths, and his body relaxed, the fur slowly receding as the wild look left his eyes.
Collectively their heart beats slowed and he shuddered in relief. “Thank you.” He whispered.
She nodded, unable to say anything as what she’d done came crashing around her. She could’ve been seriously hurt. What had she been thinking?
***
Simon was leaning against the wooden fence surrounding the corral where they trained the trail horses. His Beta, Gavin, was putting one of the new horses through its paces. They’d bought it at the last state auction, and so far he was satisfied with their purchase. His arms were crossed on the wooden post, the rough wood scraping against his forearms as he watched.
He heard the familiar engine growl of the sheriff’s ancient jeep and frowned. Nate always came through, but Simon had just called him last night, hell, early morning, if he was being technical. No way had Nate been able to get information on Calita that quickly, unless he had it already. Though, his cousin could be stopping by about something else entirely. Nate became sheriff after their uncle had retired, and there wasn’t much happening in town that he didn’t know about and have a handle on. It could be any number of things Nate was visiting about.
Intrigued, Simon turned as the vehicle pulled to a stop a few yards away. Nate took his time unfolding his six foot six, massive frame out of the jeep, his slow gait normal for the male. The sheriff obviously hadn’t started his shift yet. His shoulder length hair was loose around his face, still wet from his morning shower. His uniform shirt was open at his throat and tucked into a pair of worn denim jeans. Nate looked like their grandfather, from the sharp blade of his nose, to the angular chin, his face wide, serious.
Nate’s feet shuffled in the sand as he moved to stand next to Simon. “Chokma,Alpha?”
“Doing fine, Sheriff. It’s a little early in the day for you to be visiting. If you need something to do, your wife is running a gambling ring out of her restaurant.”
Nate grunted. “That woman.”
“How much did you lose?”
“Thirty dollars. You’re getting slow in your old age, cousin.”
Simon guffawed at Nate’s disgruntled look. The laidback male had met his match in his mate. Selena’s boisterous personality was the opposite of the stoic, quiet bear that was the sheriff. He’d grown up with Nate, and even as a cub, his cousin had been a serious creature. Though it didn’t exactly translate into him staying out of trouble. Simon smiled in memory. Nate had a charm all his own that had talked them out of their fair share of punishments.
“I have the information you need.”
Simon sucked in a breath of surprise. So he was right. “That was fast, even for you, Nate.”
Nate shrugged. “You didn’t seem inclined to wait.”
“You have the right of it.” Simon turned and nodded his head towards an empty pasture. “Walk with me.”
They walked silently until they were well out of earshot of his Beta. A bear’s hearing was one of their more powerful senses, so they’d walked nearly a hundred yards before they came to a stop.
“What did you find?”
Nate tucked his hands in his pockets and looked at Simon for a long moment before his dark eyes lowered in respect. “I debated whether to tell you. You’re my alpha and so you understand how much respect I have for Calita to not come to you until I was sure.”
