Wolf in Heat (Mated for Life 2)

“She wouldn’t go with Joe.”

“Well, we can’t keep a bear as a pet. She’d have to be caged for everyone’s safety. Just like a feral pup, there’s a certain point they’re unable to tame. A time they’re feral for life.”

“Maybe she’s different. If her change happened recently, there’s hope.”

“We don’t know when it happened. For all we know she’s been like this for years, traveling the forests in flux,” he said.

There was a scream.

“Bethany!”

****

They scoured the immediate area, but she was gone.

The she-bear had torn through the house, pulling down shelves and smashing the television before disappearing into the night.

Heather knew they wouldn’t be able to find her now. She’d adapt and know they were coming for her.

“We’ll find her,” David said.

“No, you won’t.”

“We did it before, we’ll do it again,” he said.

“No, she’s right,” Caleb said. He had Bethany pulled close. “It’s not our problem. It’s bad enough she destroyed the house. It could have been much worse. I won’t have a wild bear putting my pack at risk. This is Joe’s problem.”

Heather kept her mouth shut. He was the alpha, and he was right. It just felt so unjust for the she-bear to endure such a horrible fate at no fault of her own. If she were being honest with herself, the bear reminded her of herself—an orphan, uncomfortable in her own skin.

“If the bears see a problem, they’ll deal with her,” Caleb said. “More than likely, they’ll let fate handle it. She’ll either adapt or she won’t, and nothing we can do will change the course.” He led Bethany back into the house. The only human in the pack was more delicate than the rest of them. If that bear had harmed her, she could have easily died. Then all the blame would have fallen on Heather, as she was the one to suggest the bear stay in their house for the night.

David took her hand and they returned to their bedroom.

She sat on the bed and scrubbed her hands over her face.

“You’ll make a great mother one day,” he said.

Heather cocked an eyebrow.

“You’re very protective. I like that fierce side of you.”

“A lot of good it did. I thought I’d gotten through to her. I guess not.”

He sat down beside her. “Don’t you dare blame yourself. What you did out there was close to a miracle. If anything, you’ve given her a better chance of finding herself.”

“Let’s hope it was enough,” she said.

That night, as soon as David fell deep asleep, Heather slipped out of the room. She tiptoed out of the house and shed her clothes just outside the main door. As soon as she hit the ground on all fours, she ran, using her heightened shifter senses to aid her. There was only one thing she was looking for. Last time, she’d found the she-bear, so she could do it again. Heather wouldn’t risk anyone in her new pack because of the unstable bear, certainly not her own mate. This was her mission. She’d gotten through to the bear, even if briefly.

Heather believed saving the bear was her chance at redemption. She couldn’t save herself from her fate, but she could help this girl. Give her some semblance of a future. Show her she wasn’t alone in the world. What if Heather’s entire pack had been killed by the rogue bear? Her sister and uncle victims along with her parents? She’d be truly alone, wandering, afraid, and desperate—just like the young bear.

The forest was growing more familiar, but it still wasn’t the same as her old stomping grounds she knew so well. This was her new home, new pack, and she planned to make it work. David would soon be her official mate. She wouldn’t let another full moon pass them by.

She traveled for hours, searching, pawing the ground, testing the air. It wasn’t so easy to find the she-bear this time. As soon as she swore she caught a scent, it was gone. She grew weary, her body in need of rest.

Regrets began to cloud her mind. She shouldn’t have snuck off without telling David. Heather slowed her pace and finally settled down on a bed of thick pine needles. It felt good to rest her muscles. She curled up, wrapping her lush tail around her body as she closed her eyes. She’d have a light nap, then return home. At least she could say she’d tried her best to find the girl.

Heather woke up in a state of chaos, her body being tossed and rammed against metal. She opened her eyes, finding a mix of blinding lights and flannel. The stench of alcohol burned her nostrils. Panic flooded her system when she realized she was surrounded by bars—a cage.

The men laughed as her cage was slammed into the back of a pick-up truck.