“That’s not for us to know,” she replied.Honestly, she had no idea why the grizzlies didn’t need a leader.There had been speculations over the years, but even she wasn’tprivy to all of their secrets. “I wasn’t sent here by the gods likeyou were. I’m here on private business.”
“Are you ever going to tell me why?” heurged.
“Nope,” she replied with a smirk. Thesheriff didn’t look like he was happy with her short reply. “So,what brings you by?”
“The hunters,” he sighed. “There are more ofthem, and I’ve found information on the dark web concerning somehackers. They’ve identified the clans throughout the world, andfrom my research, it looks like they’ve killed an entire clan inAlaska.”
“What!” she barked as she came to her feet.The news was a shock. “How did they find out about them?”
“I really don’t know,” he replied with ashake of his head. Gaia began to pace, and the male stood toconsole her, but she waved him off. “Gaia, it’s more than a simplehate group in the local area. They’re ganging up and making plansto go after the clans in a mass murder plot of them across theworld.”
“When?” she demanded, feeling the earthrumble beneath her feet. She knew her eyes were swirling, and itwasn’t until Garrett grasped her by the shoulders that she realizedthere was an earthquake building under her feet.
“Stop,” he begged, giving her a littleshake. “Gaia, you can’t destroy the earth. You’re shaking.”
“Damn it,” she growled, closing her eyes.She slumped into the sheriff’s arms as the weight of the news fellupon her. “I can’t let them be hurt. I made a promise.”
“You made a promise? To whom?” hequestioned, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
“That’s none of your business,” she barkedas she pushed away from the male. The absence of his touch didn’tgo unnoticed. They both stared at the space between them, and Gaiafelt an emptiness she’d never felt before.
“It should be my business, because I keephaving visions of your bears,” he growled. The sound was so muchlike the bears, she came up short for a moment. He cleared histhroat and backed away. “We have to work together to protect thosenear and dear to us, Gaia.”
“Let me handle the bears,” she replied.
“Get them the information, and tell them tostay low,” he warned. “Call me if you need me for anything, and Imean it, Gaia.”
She nodded and watched as the male headedtoward the door. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying toward off the absence. The male glanced over his shoulder like hewas unsure if he wanted to leave but thought better of it andreached for the handle, leaving her with one more order. “Keepyourself safe.”
And just like that, the sheriff left heralone in her home, wondering what the hell had just transpiredbetween them.
Anna Claire walked as close as possible toGunnar as they made their way up the small road the Morgans had cutthrough their land to the few cabins on their property. Thelandscape had changed so much since she’d arrived. What was aforest area before, now housed part of her family and old clan.Seeing them every day brought joy to her heart. Having her cousinsthere helped, but as much support as they’d given her, Gunnar hadstood beside her through it all.
“Thank you,” she blurted as they rounded thebarn that housed their farming equipment. The spring day was alittle chilly, and she pulled her jacket tighter around herbody.
“For what?” the male asked as the wind blewhis long, brown hair around his face. He hadn’t shaved in a fewdays, and that was perfectly fine by Anna Claire. She really wishedshe could run her fingers across his cheek just to feel theroughness.
“Being patient with me,” she replied,looking up into his eyes. He was so tall, but she didn’t care.Gunnar was built like a male grizzly should be; tall, thickmuscles, and long, flowing hair. She felt an ache between her legsevery time he would release his mating scent, too.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he grumbled,but lifted his nose to the sky. “Your mating scent is strong.”
“It’s because I want to mate,” she said,knowing she shouldn’t be so forward, but she was. It was well pasttime for them to mate. With mating season starting, she was feelingthe need to find her mate and make him hers. “Mating season is uponus, Gunnar.”
“I know,” he replied and looked ahead. “Andwe will discuss that when we get home.”
They were coming up on her cousins’ cabin.Ransom and Luca exited as soon as Anna Claire and Gunnar werewithin hearing distance. They still had a little way to walk beforethey greeted the males, and she wasn’t surprised to see them sideby side. Those brothers never went anywhere without each other, andshe was glad they were so close. She always wondered how they wouldbe once they were older and found their mates. Would they livetogether like Gunnar and his brothers? Or would they live apart?Seeing as they were now living in a more welcoming environment, shewas sure they’d keep their living arrangements the same once theyfound their females.
Anna Claire didn’t speak about their matingafter Gunnar shut her down. They both knew it was going to happen,so why wait? It was driving her crazy. She just knew the male washolding back his true nature when he was around her.
She remembered the day she had arrived andhow bad his temper got out of control whenever she was mentioned orseen. It wasn’t until she’d properly healed that he’d calmed down.It hadn’t been that she saw him often. No, Gunnar Morgan had alwaysbeen out in the woods, running in his bear form or working in thefields. He’d come in only to cook a meal and eat that first day.After that, he had to start interacting with her because he’doffered her his bed.
The first night she’d tried to sleep in hisquarters, she’d tossed and turned from his scent. It was in hissheets and mattress. The damn pillows were worse. It scented ofhim, and she knew right then and there, Gunnar was her mate. Herbear had claimed him before she ever
