Lost Bear Read Free Page A

damned. It’s little Emma Thompson.”
    Suddenly, the tree behind her spoke, and she turned to attack.
    ***
    Dave felt certain the bear hiding behind his bushes was a shifter. When the animal popped its head up over the plants, something inside him sparked to life. He instinctually knew the bear was a female.
    Like the rest of Gage’s clan, she was a large grizzly. Her size alone emitted power and strength, and demanded respect, but she was small compared to the men. Her light brown coat reminded him of a warm summer day, and her eyes captivated him. From a distance they looked brown, but up close they were a dark emerald green.
    He didn’t like the fact that she hid from him while she ate, but he knew she had no reason to trust him. She had to protect herself against all threats, including him.
    The phone rang, breaking their one-sided conversation and he knew he had to answer it. Gage would be on the other end, confirming their plans for Saturday, and providing the perfect opportunity to tell the sheriff about the bear.
    “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back,” he said, and ran into the house.
    He hoped she stayed. He wanted to talk to her again, and see what she looked like in her human form. He felt drawn to her both physically and mentally, and he wondered if it were because of his current state of loneliness, or if it could be something more.
    Or maybe you really are insane and she’s just a bear!
    The thought made him pause. Was he so desperate for a relationship that he’d created a shifter in his mind? If a female bear appeared and claimed him, all of his problems would be solved and he’d live happily ever after. Of course, that would only work if they were mates. She could easily be destined to be with someone else. Could he have created signs that didn’t exist?
    He decided to proceed with caution.
    “Hello?”
    “Hey, Saturday night is a go. I’ll drive. Let’s leave around five and get dinner first,” Gage said.
    “That sounds good,” he said, looking through the screen door. The bear still sat on the other side of the hedges. “By the way, have you sensed another bear in town?”
    “Yeah, but it comes and goes, and I can’t track it. How did you know?”
    “Because there’s a bear out back, and I think she’s visited me before. I also think it’s a female.”
    “A female?” Gage asked. “Really?”
    “I think so. Maybe you and Kate should come over.”
    “Did you encourage her to shift?”
    “No, I figured you’d want to do that, but I gave her some of my hamburger. She gulped it down in one bite,” he laughed. “It seemed like she hadn’t had one in a long time.”
    “Is she still there?”
    “Yeah,” he looked out the screen again and noticed her agitated movements, “but she seems nervous, almost like she’s going to run. You’d better hurry.”
    “We’re on our way.”
    “Okay, see you soon.”
    Dave hung up the phone and hurried back through the house. He saw the bear backing up and knew she was getting ready to take off.
    He waved his hands frantically in the air.
    “Don’t leave,” he yelled. “Your friends are on their way.”
    She backed away faster, so he waited for Gage. A moment later he saw Seth approach her from behind and Gage joined him in the yard. They both raced toward her, but she continued to retreat until she backed into Seth.
    The next few seconds seemed to unfold in slow motion.
    Seth said something, and the bear turned to attack her predator. He and Gage came to a halt as blood splattered across the trees, and the bear roared in anger. Face to face with her attacker, she backed up unsteadily, gasping for air.
    Gage held up his hands, and took a measured step forward.
    “Emma, it’s me, Gage,” he took another step toward her. “He’ll be all right. He heals fast, just like you.”
    The bear looked at Gage and then shifted into her human form.
    “Gage?” she asked.
    “Yeah, it’s me, and that’s Seth,” he nodded toward his