Page 21 of Hot For Her Bear

The smaller bear continued her assault, forcing him to the edge. He sprang forward unexpectedly and sank his fangs into Dasha’s shoulder. He jerked them backward, the move sending them spiraling over the ledge. Bishop’s eyes connected with hers before they disappeared from sight.

“Dasha!” Saffron screamed.

She sprinted toward the edge with her heart all but in her throat. She fell to her knees and crawled to the edge and peeked down at the river below. She breathed an air of relief at the sight of Dasha’s smaller bear lying along a little landing on the cliff. There was no sign of Bishop. He must have fallen into the water.

Saffron turned her attention back to Dasha. She was all that mattered. Saffron couldn’t care lesswhathappened to Bishop. He should have left her alone.

“Dasha!” she called out.

The bear didn’t move. She was lying at an odd angle on her side. Worry filled Saffron as she waited for Dasha to show some form of life.

“Hello there” a voice shouted from the trees behind her.

Saffron whirled around and took in two men and a huge bear ambling towards her.

“It’s about time. Dasha’s down there.” Her voice ended on a hiccup. She turned back to look at her bear and found her in the exact same spot. Saffron bit her lip and tried to see if Dasha’s chest was rising and falling. She was a little ways down the side of the cliff, and Saffron couldn’t tell.

They came to stand next to Saffron and peered over the ledge. Saffron eyed the bear who stood in the middle of the men. He glanced at her and offered a snort and a head jerk. Her eyes widened at his greeting.

“I don’t see any signs of Bishop,” the guy closest to Saffron murmured.

“That’s one hell of a fall.” The other one shook his head and motioned to the bear. “Sega, you think you can get down to her?’

The bear growled and looked around before jogging over to an area he could go down. Saffron wasn’t sure he would manage since he was so big, but he didn’t seem to be worried about it.

“Are you sure one of you shouldn’t be going down since you’re in your human form?” she asked.

The one nearest to her chuckled.

“Sega is the most sure-footed of us all in his bear form.” He held out his hand to her, a grin spreading across his face. “I’m Nick, an enforcer for the clan. This is Abe, and that’s Sega who is almost to your mate.”

She took his hand in a firm shake, then turned her attention back to Dasha. He was right, Sega was taking the side of the cliff as if he were a goat. He confidently made his way to Dasha. They waited patiently for him to arrive at her side. Saffron exhaled once he paused near Dasha. He nudged her with his snout.

Dasha jacked away, lifting her head off the ground. Saffron smiled, her vision growing blurry. She blinked back the tears watching the bears below. She didn’t know what was being said between them with the low, nonthreatening growls leaving them, but she was just happy Dasha appeared okay.

Dasha sat up and shook her head. She looked around at where she was before she raised her head. Their eyes connected, and relief was apparent in her facial expression. This woman had almost fallen to her death, and Saffron had been worried about her.

Saffron’s heart swelled with love for the bear shifter.

She wiped the tears from her face when she accepted the reality that she had fallen in love with Dasha just that quick.

She’d always believed in things happening for a reason. Deep inside, she knew that what this was between her and Dasha was meant to be.

As long as Dasha was well, she would make sure her bear claimed her.

Tonight.

Dasha took a deep breath and regretted it. Her lungs burned, and she was quite certain she had broken a few ribs. Sega, the enforcer, stood protectively over her. She pushed up on all fours. Her animal was careful to watch her step. She wasn’t sure how she didn’t fall straight into the water along with Bishop.

The last thing Dasha remembered before she’d blacked out was his sharp fangs sinking into her shoulder and tugging her forward. She hadn’t been able to pull away from him due to his hold, until they were tumbling down the cliffside. She had let loose a roar that was swept away by the wind as they’d fallen. She’d landed hard and blacked out.

Sega watched her as she stood. She wasn’t sure how he had made his way to her. The incline was steep and rocky. He must be a super bear.

Shift.

The command came through in her head. She met Sega’s eyes and nodded. He would know the best way to get her out of here. With him being a member of the enforcer team for their clan, she trusted him. She’d known him pretty much all of their lives. She inhaled sharply and begged her animal to release the control over their body.

No.

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