Mated to the Wilde Bear

“So, you’re DOT. That means you’ll be on site for the rescues this season?” Nash asked.

“Gerald’s still around,” she assured them. “He’ll be back from vacation in a few days. I’m filling in until he’s back and then who knows. I wouldn’t mind it, though. Today was fun to watch.”

“I bet.” Jake gave her an exaggerated wink and Xavier growled.

She laughed. “I meant the crowd. Your alpha caused quite a stir when he refused the medic’s help and opted to carry the guy all the way down.”

“Show off,” Jake said, and Nash shook his head.

“No wonder you didn’t call us,” Nash said. He leaned in and whispered to Laurel. “He just loves the spotlight. Doesn’t want any of us to get the attention.”

She shot Xavier a wry smile, remembering the way he ducked away from the crowd of women who’d shouted for him as he’d walked away from her. “Definitely a diva,” she agreed.

at that. Here it was easy to see how their community was so accepting of a crew of bears living so openly as shifters. When they turned on the charm, it was hard to dislike a single

realized, looking around the table as the guys all laughed and joked. More than once, she had to remind herself all she stood to lose if anyone at work found out about her animal. She’d lost a job before. Friends, family even, over her being a shifter, and she’d promised herself she’d never let that

Anti-shifter talk had been growing in this town. A shame, since she’d moved here to escape

frowned at that and caught Xavier watching her before she

eating?” he asked. She

that they were out of sight of the rest of the crew. She stared into

a good

nodded. “It’s been a long time since I got out like this,”

her, closing the distance between them, and Laurel’s nerves rattled all over again—for a different reason. She’d been fine in front of the group. Even when Xavier’s hand had reached for hers under the table, she’d let him touch her and kept her thoughts mostly ordered. But standing here alone, without an audience, she couldn’t catch her breath. What was it about his touch that made her feel like a freshman in the backseat of a car all

went crazy as desire rose. She inhaled again, and this time, it wasn’t pine or forest she smelled. She froze. Pheromones. God, he’d smell her and realize her animal for