Animal Rescue Bear Read online

  “Okay. We have this special ability…” Ronni began.

  “If you’re going to tell me you’re like Superman or something, then please don’t insult me.” Sian’s usually gentle expression hardened.

  “Not like Superman.” Lucas shook his head. “There is no way I’ll ever put my underpants on the outside and wear a cape.”

  Ronni smothered a smile. “I think you’d look cute.”

  He caught her eyes and liked the way they twinkled in amusement. “Thanks.” Was it even a compliment?

  “Back to the special ability, people.” Sian snapped her fingers.

  “We can shift into animals,” Ronni said quickly as if she were pulling a Band-Aid off.

  Sian’s eyes widened but then narrowed. “That’s impossible.” Hurt spread across her face and she started to get up, but Lucas put his hand on her shoulder and looked around the office.

  “I’ll show you. As long as you don’t scream.” He stepped back a couple of feet and turned a full circle. “Is that okay?” he asked his mate.

  “Sure.” Ronni moved toward the window and checked that there was no one else around. “Go for it.”

  “Wait!” Sian put her hand in the air. “You two are serious.”

  “We are,” Lucas replied gravely. “There are a lot of shifters living around here.” The animal sanctuary was about halfway between Bear Creek and Bear Bluff, and both towns attracted shifters who enjoyed the freedom of the mountains surrounding them.

  Sian shuffled in her seat. “Okay.” She didn’t look convinced. But she soon would.

  Lucas cast a last look toward his mate and then let his human self slip away from the world. A fraction of a second later, his bear appeared, four paws planted firmly on the floor and a snout raised in the air as he breathed in the scent of his mate.

  Ronni took a step forward and reached out her hand to him but didn’t touch him. She was waiting for him to close the distance between them.

  He did, his breath coming out in hot huffs as he sniffed her palm.

  “Want to stroke him?” Ronni asked over her shoulder.

  Sian stared back at her with a shocked expression firmly attached to her face. “It’s a bear.”

  “Yes,” Ronni confirmed. “What did you expect?”

  “I don’t know, a dog or a cat. Maybe a cute little bunny rabbit with whiskers.” She held up her fingers and pretended to groom invisible whiskers. Then her hands dropped to her side. “What I didn’t expect was a huge grizzly bear.”

  “He’s not going to hurt you.” Ronni plunged her fingers into his fur and his bear’s eyes dilated in ecstasy.

  Sian pulled back, as if in denial. “How is this even possible?”

  Ronni shrugged and continued to stroke his bear. “It just is. Generations after generations of shifters have lived around here. No one knows why. None knows how. Which is kind of cool. Like magic.”

  He liked his mate’s take on being a shifter and he had to agree, it was magical. And to Lucas, right now, the most magical thing about being a shifter was the mating bond.

  “Next, you’re going to tell me Santa Claus is real, too.” Ronni and Lucas exchanged looks. “Oh, no, I don’t want to know.”

  “Listen, you just need to accept there is magic in the world. And shifters are part of that.” Ronni stroked his bear’s massive head. “You also need to remember not all bears are shifters.”

  “And not all shifters are bears?” Sian asked, rising from her seat and taking a first tentative step toward Lucas.

  “They can be anything.” Ronni shrugged. “Bears, wolves, cougars. Those are the most common shifters around here. But rabbits, birds, even snakes.”

  “I am going to be a lot more careful about what kind of bugs are in my house when I take a shower,” Sian said, sounding more like her usual self.

  Ronni laughed. “I’m so glad you know now.”

  “I take it this is kind of a big secret?” Sian asked.

  “Yes. We have to be careful. Although you find shifters in all kinds of jobs, so the secret stays secret. If anyone blabs, they get shut up. Fast.” Ronni gazed down at Lucas’s bear. He hoped it was a look of happiness he read in her eyes.

  “And love at first sight?” Sian asked. “That is what happened, isn’t it?”

  “It’s called a mating bond. As a shifter, you know who your fated mate is. And no one else will do.” Ronni sighed.

  It was time to rejoin the conversation. Lucas stepped away from Ronni and let his human side come back to the world. Ronni smiled shyly and he found himself grinning like a schoolboy.

  “Well, I’ll work in here while you two go and find a pet for Lucas to take home. Although, I guess you will not be so lonely now that you’ve also found your mate.” Sian sat down at the desk and began working on the computer. “I’ll try to brainstorm some ideas.”

  “Okay, thanks, Sian.” Ronni inclined her head toward the door leading to the parking lot. “Come on, this way.”

  Lucas followed her like a lost little puppy. He would follow her to the ends of the earth and back if he had to. “I never expected meeting my mate to be like this.” It was a dumb thing to say, but he had to say something.

  “What did you expect it to be like?” she asked as she pulled a key out of her pocket and inserted it in the padlock that opened a large gate leading to the animal houses.

  “I don’t know. But not at an animal shelter and I certainly didn’t expect to shift like that.” He ran his hand through his hair.

  “I like your bear,” Ronni told him as she ushered him through and then closed the gate securely behind them.

  “Thank you.” He gave a low chuckle.

  Ronni turned around to face him. “This is awkward.”

  “Is it supposed to be awkward?” He grinned and nodded. “Yeah, I should have known, I saw my brother when he first met his mate.” His brow creased as he remembered Marcus meeting Joanna for the first time. “He stumbled over his words and for once didn’t know what to say.”

  Ronni folded her arms as she studied him. “We’re strangers. Sure, we might have an instant connection, but we’re strangers. And strangers have to take time to get to know each other.”

  “Just like a new puppy has to get to know its new owner.” Lucas watched as her face crumpled and he lurched forward. “I’m sorry, what did I say wrong?”

  His mate covered her mouth with her hand and she sobbed. Big, bone-wracking sobs and Lucas did the only thing he could do, he folded her into his big strong arms and held her against his chest as if she were a frightened child.

  “Hey, it’s okay.” But what if it wasn’t okay? What if she was crying because she didn’t like him? Or she already had a boyfriend? Perhaps she’d already met someone she liked and had thought the true mate bond was a tale your parents told you, like a fairy tale.

  “I’m sorry,” she sobbed as she tried to pull away from him.

  “Don’t be. I’m here for you, no matter what.” He loosened his grip on her but didn’t let her go. He didn’t want to lose her when he’d only just found her. Thankfully, Ronni didn’t look as if she were running anywhere. “Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

  She gave him a tight smile. “I don’t want to burden you with my problems. Since we just met and we’re strangers.”

  He wiped her tears from her face. “Strangers are just people you haven’t gotten to know yet.”

  Her smile brightened. “I think I might like you, Lucas.”

  “I know I like you, Ronni.”

  She slipped her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his chest. She stayed there like that for several minutes while her breathing returned to normal and her tears passed. Lucas rubbed her back, soothing her like a child who’d fallen down and skinned their knees. But he figured whatever upset Ronni was going to take more than some antiseptic and a Band-Aid to make better.

  “I’ve worked at this animal shelter for as long as I can remember. I used to volunteer here as a child. Martha
, the founder of the animal shelter, taught me everything she knew about helping animals. When I left school there was nothing else I wanted to do so I came to work here and then when Martha died a few years ago, I became the manager.” Her body trembled as she took in a big gulping breath.

  “You must have helped an incredible number of animals.” Lucas stroked her hair as she gulped in a big breath.

  “The land it stands on is going to be auctioned off in four weeks’ time. If I can’t find a solution, I don’t know what’s going to happen to all the animals.” The words tumbled out of her mouth like small stones tumbling down a mountain trail.

  His arms tightened around her as the enormity of what she was telling him sank in. “I’m so sorry.”

  “We only just heard. This is the first time I’ve been in here, the first time I’ve seen all their faces since Kevin Jones broke the news.” Her arms tightened around him as if she were drowning and he was her lifesaver. “I have to save them. I can’t let them down.”

  “Then we’ll save them,” Lucas stated firmly.

  “It’s not that simple,” Ronni looked up into his eyes, wanting to believe him.

  “Why isn’t it?” Lucas asked. “All we need to do is raise the money to buy the land.”

  “We’re talking tens of thousands.” Hope was not lost on Ronni, but she was a realist. Was he promising her something he couldn’t hope to deliver? “We can do it.”

  She sighed and laid her head back on his shoulder. “I don’t know where to begin.”

  “At the beginning.” He kissed the top of her head. “One animal at a time if we need to.” He let her go and straightened up. “I’m here to adopt an animal.”

  Her smile broadened, and she wiped away a stray tear. “Let’s go meet some and you can tell me all about yourself, so I can pair you up with the right dog.”

  “Let’s do it,” Lucas said a little too enthusiastically. He only hoped fate would find him the right dog, just as fate had found him the right woman to share his life with.

  Chapter Three – Ronni

  He was cute and sensitive, and his arms were strong and protective. Lucas was pretty much perfect, with a smile that melted her insides and made her long for marriage and children and all the domesticated stuff she’d never been interested in.

  Which had her worried.

  What if her feelings for Lucas consumed her to the point that she no longer had the drive to save the shelter?

  That would never happen, her bear reassured her. I don’t think Lucas would let that happen either.

  Her bear was probably right.

  I usually am, her bear interjected into her thoughts.

  “So where do you live?” Ronni asked as she opened up the large double doors leading into the barn where the dog kennels were situated. Instantly, a chorus of happy dogs barking filled the barn.

  “I live at the Chance Heights Activity Center.” He went up to the first kennel and held out his hand for a small terrier to sniff.

  “Oh, yeah, the truck has the name on it.” She nodded. “It’s up on one of the mountain roads, isn’t it?”

  He looked at her over his shoulder. “It is. My family has lived there for generations.” He moved on to the next kennel, where an elderly yellow Lab lay with her head on her paws looking mournfully at the door. “What’s wrong with this lady?”

  “This is Jessie. She’s new.” Ronni moved to Lucas’s side and then crouched down, looking at her big sorrowful eyes. “Her family split up and no one could take her. She misses them.”

  Jessie sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

  “She’s used to children?” Lucas asked.

  “She is.” Ronni nodded. “You don’t have kids of your own, do you?” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

  Lucas chuckled. “No. But my brother has two adopted children and Chance Heights has a lot of visitors through the summer, kids and their parents. Being good with children is the most important thing for me.” He looked back at Jessie. “She might be perfect.”

  Ronni stood up and unlocked the door leading to Jessie’s kennel. The Lab opened her eyes but didn’t lift her head. “Come on, Jessie, come meet Lucas.” No amount of enthusiasm in her voice could make Jessie get up. Not even when the promise of a walk and treats was offered.

  “Can I just sit with her for a while?” Lucas asked.

  “Sure.” Ronni stepped back, and Lucas slid into the sparse kennel. He positioned himself next to Jessie, with his back against the wall and his long, lean thighs stretched out in front of him. “You won’t be jealous if I spend a little time with another lady?”

  Ronni laughed, feeling a sense of joy that she hadn’t tapped into for a long, long while. “No. If you can make Jessie happy, I will be eternally grateful. She isn’t eating and just sits there looking sad.”

  “Then it’s my mission to change that.” He stroked Jessie’s broad head. “Now I have two ladies who need help.”

  “You’re a good man, Lucas.” Ronni’s cheeks flushed pink as she spoke.

  “Oh, I don’t think I’m anything special,” Lucas replied as he sat stroking Jessie’s head. The yellow Lab lifted her head off her paws and transferred it to Lucas’s legs.

  “I think Jessie and I might disagree.” With that, Ronni turned around and left the kennels. Which was a whole lot harder than she imagined. Her body was drawn toward Lucas as if they were connected by a bungee cord. All she had to do was give into it and she’d go rebounding back toward him.

  But she couldn’t give into it. Not yet. There was too much to do. Too many lives at risk. Lives she’d sworn to protect when they entered the animal sanctuary.

  “You’re back.” Sian looked up from the computer she was working on.

  “I am.” Ronni rolled her eyes at the inquisitive look on Sian’s face.

  “So?”

  “So what?” Ronni picked up her lukewarm cup of coffee and took a gulp.

  “So…you and Lucas…” Sian arched an eyebrow.

  “What about us?” Ronni was not big on sharing feelings, especially those she didn’t really understand herself.

  “Come on. Shifters, mates. Tell me all.” Sian got up from her seat and came to lean on the desk in front of Ronni. “Are you a bear, too?”

  Ronni nodded. “Yes, I am. So is all my family.” She met Sian’s eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

  Sian put her hand up to stop Ronni. “I understand. Why would you tell me?” She gave a small laugh. “It’s not exactly the kind of thing that crops up in a conversation. And I realize it’s a secret.”

  “I want you to know it’s not because I didn’t trust you.” Ronni took another gulp of her coffee.

  “Want a fresh cup?” Sian asked, holding out her hand for the half-drank coffee cup.

  “Yeah.” Ronni handed Sian the cup and she went to the kitchen, swilled out the cup and refilled it from the coffee pot. “Thank you.” Ronni glanced at Sian’s computer screen.

  “What do you think?” Sian asked.

  “An auction?” Ronni asked. A wave of something like terror swept over her.

  “Yes, it’ll be fun. And Simon Roberts used to be an auctioneer.” Sian’s enthusiasm shone through. “We can ask people to donate their time. Perhaps some of the businesses would donate their products or services.” Sian gazed at the flyer she’d started to design. “I was thinking of asking some of my old friends to come along.”

  “Do they have deep pockets?” Ronni asked eagerly.

  “They do. I’ve also been thinking about the future of the animal shelter once we buy the land.” Sian’s eyes widened as she fended off Ronni’s look. “What? You have to think positively. We can do this. We have four weeks to organize everything. Well, maybe two. That gives us time to bank the money and organize ourselves for the auction.”

  Ronni tried to catch ahold of Sian’s enthusiasm. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  “So my idea,” Sian said brightly, then sh
e blushed. “It might be silly.”

  “At this point, I’m willing to hear anything.”

  “You know I’ve got plans to open a pet grooming parlor.”

  “Yes,” Ronni replied warily, wondering where this was going.

  “What if the business was here?”

  “Oh, you mean owners can bring their pets to the shelter and we can groom them.”

  “Yes.” Sian looked nervously at the floor then took a deep breath. “All this shifter stuff is new to me…”

  “What are you thinking?” Ronni asked, puzzled by Sian’s embarrassment.

  “Your bear. Does she like to be groomed?” Sian put her hands to her cheeks as color flushed her face. “Is it something others might like?”

  Ronni sat down heavily in her chair. “I never thought about it.”

  I’d like my fur washed and blow dried, her bear commented. And a mani-pedi. As long as I don’t have to have nail polish on my claws.

  “Are you talking to her now?” Sian asked. “Can you talk to her? Or is it like you are two separate entities?”

  “She’s in my head. And when I’m a bear, I’m in her head. Two separate halves of a whole.”

  “Just like you and Lucas are two separate parts of a whole.” Sian smiled her soft, whimsical smile.

  “You know what I wish?” Ronni asked.

  “Nope?” Sian asked.

  “That one day you are lucky enough to meet a shifter. You deserve to be someone’s one true mate.”

  Sian put her hand over her mouth and gulped. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to open my heart again. Not so fully and completely.” She took a long, shuddering breath. “And I have the girls. They are my world right now.”

  Ronni wrapped her arms around Sian. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t. I truly appreciate you wanting to see me happy.” She rubbed Ronni’s back. “I’m so very happy for you, Ronni. You deserve happiness more than anyone I know. All the hours you give to the animals. You are so selfless.”

  “Oh.” Ronni sniffed loudly. “You’ll have me crying again.”

  “Okay. No more tears.” Sian stood up straight and wiped her eyes. “At least not until we’ve talked about the auction.”