Page 6 of Grumpy Special Ops Bear: Ep. 2
No, I didn’t want to think about that. It was hard enough to believe wolf-shifters were out there, let alone other creatures that could easily tear me into shreds, creatures that could think like humans because they were humans.
If the bear is a shifter or whatever, why is it following me?
Why not catch me and kill me?
That seemed to be what Price and the others planned on doing.
So what’s this bear up to?
The wolves howled again, and I forced myself to worry about my current problem. Besides, the bear seemed to know I was there and didn’t seem interested.
Because it’s just a bear, I reminded myself forcefully. That was what I told myself over and over.It’s just a bear, nothing more. There isn’t anything else for me to worry about—no other shifters and no other packs on killing sprees, wanting nothing more than to eat me alive.
I pulled the stones closer to me, surrounding myself in the dying warmth I knew wouldn’t last through the night. The stones were a trick I’d learned during a survival tactics class. I was lucky I’d paid enough attention to the intricacies of the method.
But at that moment, I would’ve given anything to be back in my cozy apartment, snuggled under my comforter, watching reality shows, with a glass of my favorite wine in one hand and a gigantic bowl of popcorn in the other. Instead, I’d found myself smack-dab in the middle of my private reality show nightmare with a very slim chance of getting out alive.
As my eyes closed from exhaustion, I pictured a different life.
What if I’d settled down with one of those rich men I took on trips?
He’d have to be my type. With dark hair, a chiseled jaw, and a pair of big strong, callused hands. I shivered as I thought about those hands sliding over my dark skin. He’d also have to love the outdoors, nature, and lots of adventure.
I smiled.
What if I could stop working and just enjoy life?
Having children had always been a distant thought, especially since I’d been abandoned so young and didn’t know shit about family, but part of me believed I’d be a wonderful mother. I was nurturing, loving, and thrill-seeking.
Shit,few children could say their moms jumped out of airplanes or climbed mountains or explored the darkest depths of caves. My parents might have given me up, but I’d sworn long ago if I had children, I’d always be there for them, every fucking day, no matter what life brought.
Now I might never get to know.
Halle and my bosses might never even find my remains if I froze here in this crevice or if Price and his pack caught me and ate me alive.
My existence would simply fade away.
No one would mourn my passing besides Halle. My bosses would miss me simply because of the loads of money I’d brought in, but beyond that, they wouldn’t give a shit.
“I swear, if I get out of this fucking mess alive, I’ll make it priority number one to find a good man to settle down with, and we’ll have a shitload of babies.”
My eyes shot right back open after an image of that poor elk flashed through my mind. All my training, and none of it could’ve prepared me for this crap.
Dammit. Where was the How to Fight off Wolf-Shifters class when I needed it?
“Why couldn’t I have been a nerd?” I whispered before tucking my face into my coat and praying for warmth and for the blizzard to stop.
Snow blew in through the branch. It wasn’t much, but by morning, I’d be half-buried alive. The thought made me colder as I forced the tears to stay away, squinting my eyes shut until it hurt.
“Don’t cry, Trinity,” I reminded myself fiercely. “You never fucking cry—ever.”
But even as I scolded myself, a single tear slid down my cheek and froze before it could hit the ground.
Chapter 6
Fergus
I finished coveringup her tracks and then headed up the ridge so I would have an unobstructed view of the area. I hid my bulk within the trees and waited. The air was bitterly cold, but I couldn’t feel it underneath my two layers of thick fur. Snow covered me, and I let it. It would be best to blend in and not let the wolves know exactly where I was.
