by Elle Thorne
Days of traipsing around a forest in a lumbering massive bear’s—though not as massive as Krisztián’s bear’s—body.
Days of talking to Krisztián in their sync. Days with no communication from her bear. Her bear refused to respond to her, ignoring her pleas and demands. Her bear paid no heed to his commands to allow her to shift, refusing to communicate with anyone verbally.
Days of walking through the forest, foraging for berries, digging for roots, drinking from streams.
Oh, she’d had more than enough of this. She was beyond ready for her human body again.
If only.
Yeah, if only that bitch of a bear would give her some human time.
She sighed and heard the sound in her mind.
“How about some protein?” He asked in their sync.
She looked up from the stream where she’d been drinking. “What?”
He was holding a large rainbow trout. The fish was slapping and squirming, trying to get free of his bear’s claws.
“Raw?” Inside her bear, she cringed and scrunched her nose. “That’s disgusting.”
Krisztián laughed in their sync. “Bears don’t cook their food, Ciara.”
Against her will, her bear reached for the fish, taking it in her jaws.
“Ew. I don’t even like sushi.” Ciara could taste the flavor of the raw fish. It was— “Ugh.”
Krisztián laughed again. “It’s what bears do. They eat raw fish.”
“I don’t.” Ciara turned her attention to her bear once more, though she knew it was pointless. Let me out of here. Now. Give me my body back.
Her bear kept chewing, the sound loud in Ciara’s mind. The sounds of fish bones crunching. Ciara began to hum in her mind, so she didn’t have to hear the noises her bear was making while she consumed a fish that had been flapping and writhing just a few seconds ago.
I said, let me the fuck out of here, god dammit. You can’t keep me prisoner.
She knew losing her cool was not going to get her free. She knew that no matter how much she cursed or demanded, her bear had no intention of yielding control. But still, she couldn’t merely give up, now could she?
“I don’t want to live the rest of my life out as a bear,” she told Krisztián and her bear, both, at the same time. “Something’s got to happen.”
“There’s nothing I can do. Your bear clearly has no intention of surrendering.” Krisztián’s tone was firm.
The fuck there isn’t. I’m not giving up that easily. But she didn’t say this to Krisztián. And she didn’t think it loud enough for her bear to hear. Somewhere, somehow, there was an answer to this. There had to be a solution.
And so it was that two more days passed while Ciara’s bear and Krisztián’s bear roamed the forest, doing bear things, avoiding talking about anything that would irritate her bear.
Chapter Thirty
Close to a week.
Their bears were lying in the cool dark depths of a cave at the base of one of the largest mountains surrounding Bear Canyon Valley.
Krisztián hadn’t been in his bear this long. Ever. He stretched within his bear, ready to assume his human form, but well aware he couldn’t do that. Not as long as Ciara’s bear insisted on staying in bear form.
He stretched his bear’s body and encountered the resistance of warmth. Ciara’s bear was lying next to him, so close that all it took was the simple act of stretching and he was feeling the heat generated by her bear’s body.
“Ciara? Are you awake?”
“I am. She’s not.”
“How can you tell?”
“I just can.”
Huh. “So we can have a private conversation now? Without her listening in?”
“Until she wakes up, yeah.”
“Will you know when she’s awake?”
“Oh, yeah. I will. She’s never going to let me out. Ever. It’s payback for her having been in prison.”
“You didn’t do this to her. Someone else did, when you were too young to even remember it.”
“I don’t think she cares about that. Know what I—” She went silent.
“What? What were you going to say?”
“I think she’s afraid that if she gives up control now, she’ll be put back in that place, whatever that place is that soul-chaining put her into.”
“Then we have to show her she can trust us.”
“Good luck with that.”
Ciara’s next words—if there were going to be any—were cut off by her bear’s yawn.
Krisztián and his bear leaned against her bear, pressing his head on hers. He snuffled, taking in the scent of her bear.
Ciara’s bear raised her large head and looked directly into his eyes with her light browns. She headbutted him gently, forehead to forehead.
“Ciara, I can’t tell if that’s you or her.”
“I can’t control her body.”
He stared into that light-brown, honeyed-amber gaze. She butted his bear’s forehead once more.
What the hell was this? Krisztián pondered the meaning of this. Did her bear like his? As in, like? Would that give him sway with her? Could he use that to his advantage and perhaps convince her bear to give in to the idea of sharing the body? If not actually allowing Ciara to be the decision maker.
He’d need to give the bear a reason to share space with Ciara, but by damn, he couldn’t come up with any reasons that would seem enticing enough.
“Ciara, my bear and I can’t stay like this for good.”
“What do you mean?” There was a trace of panic in her voice.
“I mean, I can’t spend the rest of my days—of each and every day—of the rest of my life in these woods, traipsing around, eating berries, catching fish, and scratching my back on tree trunks.”
“You can’t leave me here. You can’t. You can’t just leave me here in this place, in this form, for the rest of my life. I don’t care what this bitch wants. It’s not what I want. I have a life. I have family.”
He and his bear sat back. “Tell me about your family.”
“What’s to tell?” Ciara snipped.
“Just do it, Ciara. Just do as I ask.”
“I’m from a family of intuitives. My parents weren’t really part of my life much. Ostracized, from most intuitives because we had a bear shifter on my father’s side of the family. I’ve been alone for a long time. I don’t have much to do with any family.” Her voice was bitter. And now she’d fallen silent.
“That’s it?”
“That’s all I feel like talking about.”
“So you don’t have much to do with your family? Then who do you consider family?”
“Griz. He’s the closest thing I have to family these days.”
In his bear’s mind, Krisztián nodded. He could understand that very well. Griz was the closest thing he had to family as well.
“Are you going to leave me here in this forest, all alone?” Her voice was small and forlorn.
“You won’t be alone. You have your bear.”
In their sync, she made a sound that was suspiciously close to a sob. “So, alone. Really.”
“You’ll be in your bear. You’ll be fine. Bears are the apex predators in this area.”
“Oh, yeah? What if that ginormous monster brute of a bear comes back to finish what he started?”
Krisztián paused but didn’t reply.
“I said, what if he comes back?” Now there was definitely panic in her voice.
“Run.”
“Krisztián! I’m not playing here.”
“I’m not either. But it’s time for me to get back to the valley. I can’t be up here in the mountains, playing bear-house with your bear.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Ciara couldn’t believe her ears. He was actually considering leaving her alone in this godforsaken forest?
“Playing bear-house,” she hissed. “I am not playing anything. I want out of this goddamned bear. Immediately.”
�
��Ciara, listen to—”
“No! Fuck it. Fuck this bear. Fuck this life. I won’t be spending the rest of my days trapped in this prison, listening to fish bones crunching, foraging for underripe berries, and squatting in the bushes. I won’t—”
The sound of movement outside the cave shut her up.
Her bear looked at Krisztián. His bear looked back at her.
They didn’t say a word in their sync. Both bears rose and padded to the front of the cave.
Now what? was the only thought that came to Ciara’s mind. Now. Freaking. What?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ciara didn’t get it. And it wasn’t like Krisztián could explain it to her. How was he supposed to convince her he didn’t want to leave her alone? He was hoping it would shock her bear into relenting. Into giving up her effort to stay in bear form forever.
But her bear had done nothing. No response to the threat. Not in the least bit concerned she would be alone.
Krisztián was aware he should have known better. How could he have thought he could change her bear’s mind?
His bear crept closer to the cave’s entrance, ready to face whatever adversary was poking around out there. From the sounds of it, not a small being.
Had that damned monster bear returned? Krisztián wasn’t particularly looking forward to another throwdown with that thing. Even two on one, just a few days ago it was still a shitty mess.
A snuffling sound made him pause again. He stepped in front of Ciara’s bear, stopping her from moving forward.
That snuffling sound. He knew it well. A bear. Surely, any random bears would have smelled that he and Ciara’s bear were here. They’d have picked up their scents and vacated, wouldn’t they? So the fact the bear was still here, hanging around the cave’s entrance, meant one thing. It had to mean it was that damned monster bear.
“Stay in the cave,” he warned Ciara in their sync.
“No way. I know what you’re thinking. It’s that brute,” she argued. “You can’t take him alone.”
“We couldn’t hardly take him together.”
“You’re proving my point. He’ll kill you.”
“Pshaw. He’s just a bear. I’m a bear with a human mind.”
“This isn’t funny, Krisztián. It’s not a joking matter.”
“I’m not jo—”
Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, or even his word.
Ciara’s bear shoved past him, pushing his bear aside with several hundred pounds of her massive bear frame and barreled toward the entrance.
What the hell did she do that for? He didn’t pause to ponder what was happening, catapulting after her.
“Ciara, you stop right this second.”
“How am I supposed to stop? You do realize this is my damned bear.”
“Well, it wasn’t your bear arguing with me a few seconds ago. And now it seems she’s doing exactly what you wanted to do.”
Those were the last words he managed before both of them found themselves face to face with a large grizzly.
Not the same large grizzly they’d been involved in an ass-kicking fight before.
No. This was a very different large grizzly.
One with a large white, furless scar that sliced his cheek and muzzle in half.
Ciara’s bear froze.
Krisztián’s bear came to an abrupt stop beside her.
He felt the pressure from a force trying to establish a link. To join him and Ciara in their sync.
Krisztián opened the mental door, allowing the newcomer in.
Griz.
“What exactly are you two doing?” Griz’s bear looked from one to the other. “We’ve been waiting and waiting for you to return. Mae sent us out here to find you. Both of you.” His tone was chastising.
“We?” Ciara’s voice was small. “Who is we?”
Another bear stepped out of the trees. Krisztián felt Griz opening the door to the sync, allowing the new bear in. Krisztián studied this recent arrival. He didn’t recognize the approaching bear. Perhaps when he came closer, he’d pick up the scent, maybe figure out who it was.
“Mae was worried about you, Ciara.” Doc’s voice.
Krisztián glanced from Griz to Doc, then back to Griz again. “Ciara’s bear won’t allow her to shift back to her human.”
“Is this so, Ciara?” Griz’s bear stepped closer to her.
“Unfortunately,” she admitted.
Griz’s bear reached out a paw, placed it on her bear’s shoulder. “Have you tried talking to—”
“I’ve tried every goddamned thing.”
“It’s true. She has,” Krisztián affirmed. He pawed the dirt with his talons, making patterns. “I just told her I was leaving her alone in the forest and coming back to civilization.”
“And?” Griz asked.
“And her bear was more than happy to watch me walk away.”
“I wouldn’t say more than happy,” Ciara corrected him.
“She was willing to let me go.”
Griz’s bear rumbled in his chest. “We’ve been watching you. On and off. The last few days.”
“Yes, we have. Several days now,” Doc added.
“And?” Krisztián asked this time.
“And this can’t keep going on,” Griz told Ciara.
“You’re telling me like there’s something I can do about it.” Her bear snarled, as though punctuating her statement.
“Then I’ll have to do something about it,” Griz said. “Step away, Krisztián.”
“Wait, what?” He wasn’t sure what Griz was asking him exactly. Step away? From what? What for, exactly?”
“Doc?” Griz said. “Keep Krisztián out of the way.”
“Will do.” Doc stepped forward,
Ciara’s bear growled low.
“Griz, what are you planning?” Krisztián’s bear tried to look around Doc’s large bear body.
“I’m going to teach this bear cub a lesson. She may not still be a cub in years, but she needs to learn a little bit about hierarchy.”
Doc shifted his weight, blocking Krisztián’s view. A roar broke the silence in the forest. A bear’s yelp of pain followed. Krisztián shoulder-butted Doc’s bear aside and took in the sight before him. Sounds of a battle filled the air. A fierce battle between top predators.
Griz’s bear had his jaws buried in Ciara’s bear neck. Long canines buried in her throat. He shook his head while she protested with loud bear shrieks.
Krisztián dove forward to intercede. Doc’s bear dove onto him, riding him to the ground, making them both roll. Krisztián kept his eyes glued on the struggle between Ciara and Griz, though he couldn’t budge from beneath Doc’s weight.
“Let me go help her. Now. Let me go!”
“Not a chance. This has to happen,” Doc replied.
“Krisztián, help!” She out.
He had to help her. He couldn’t sit back and let Griz hurt—or worse, kill—her bear. That would be the same as killing Ciara herself.
Her bear snapped her body and twisted, lunging forward with jaws snapping. Griz wrapped her in a bearhug, bringing her down on her back, his canines sinking into her already bloody fur. Her bear screamed. He shook his head from side to side, thrashing her body.
“Stop it, Griz,” Krisztián commanded in their sync. “You’re killing Ciara. Stop it.”
Krisztián’s bear rose, shoved Doc aside and charged toward the two of them. He hardly managed two strides before Doc’s bear tackled him, taking him down again.
“Trust me,” Griz’s voice was a whisper in their sync.
Krisztián wasn’t sure if Griz was telling him or Ciara, but it didn’t matter because, despite Griz’s whispered assurance, Griz’s bear was tearing into her bear’s throat.
And Krisztián was helpless to stop it. Doc’s grip on him was too strong. His hold relentless. Still, Krisztián struggled. Still, Doc did not budge.
In their sync, Ciara screamed.
&n
bsp; And still, Griz shook his massive bear head, back and forth, back and forth, shredding muscle and flesh.
“You’re killing her,” Krisztián said. Then he wasn’t sure if he said it in their sync or if he thought it.
“Don’t kill her. Fucking stop killing her!” Ciara screamed in their heads.
Griz did not reply in their sync. He gave no sign he was still linked. There was no sign of the human side of Griz at all. He was bear. All bear. All mean, scarred, ruthless bear who was currently tearing up the bear in which Ciara’s soul was housed.
A burst of energy surged through Krisztián. He rammed his bear head upward, clipping Doc’s bear in the jaw with his skull. The pain from the strike sent tiny starbursts of lights into his bear’s vision.
“Please, Griz. Let her go. Do not kill my bear.”
“Yield,” Doc said.
“How?” she shouted, her voice so loud it reverberated in Krisztián’s head.
“Your bear knows.” Doc’s tone was cold, detached.
Griz’s bear released his grip on her neck only to seize it again and once more begin shaking his head side to side.
Her bear went limp. Fully limp. Dead weight.
“Noooo!” Krisztián struggled against Doc’s hold, whaling, twisting, striking, bucking. He released himself and struggled to all four feet, his claws seeking purchase in the dirt. He shook his massive bear head to clear vision that was still spotted.
Then he heard the sounds he knew all too well.
The sounds of bones realigning, sinew stretching and contracting, muscle migrating to different positions.
He stared.
Ciara. In her human form, prostrate, in the dirt.
Above her, Griz was morphing into his human form. Next to Krisztián’s bear, Doc was doing the same. Immediately, Krisztián began his own shift, and, within seconds, he was running toward Ciara’s motionless body.
Griz was already leaning down, checking her vitals. Both were bloody, as was Doc.
“Mae’s got the SUV not too far from here. We just need to get her there. My medical bag’s in there, too. We’ve called ahead and have a room set up at Doc’s clinic.”
Krisztián pushed Griz away. “I’ve got her.” He picked her bloody, shredded body up and held her close to his chest. “Let’s go.”