“What is this all about?” she barked,folding her arms across her chest.
“It’s about the clan,” he sighed, his tall,tight body deflating just a bit. From the exhausted look on hisface, Gaia realized what he had to say must be important.
“What about them?” she pressed.
“The humans know,” he began, pulling a chairaway from the front of her desk to take a seat. “They know aboutthe grizzlies, and I had a vision that a group of four hunters arecoming for them today.”
“Well,” she chuckled. “That’s not going tobe a problem. They’ve been in hibernation and will be for anotherweek or two. There is no way they’ll get to the clan. They’re intheir dens.” The bears didn’t like to leave their homes until aweek or two after the spring equinox.
“I don’t care what they usually do,” hebarked. “I’ve seen it happen, and my visions are alwayscorrect.”
“I thought you were in charge of thewerepanthers?” she asked, wondering why he was even talking abouther bears. She oversaw them…not the sheriff.
“I am, but the vision was given to me by thegods,” he replied, glancing toward the ceiling. Gaia rolled hereyes. Their gods were always stirring the pot down on her planet,and she really wished they’d back off. “I saw it, Gaia.”
“What did you see?” she asked, ignoring thedesire to claw his eyes out for stepping into her territory.
“Gunnar and his destined mate will be shottoday,” he admitted. The sheriff approached her, cupping her upperarms. An electric pulse shivered through her when his eyes flashedwhite. “Please send word to them.”
“Are you sure about this?” she gasped,feeling her heart thunder in her human body.
“I don’t question the visions they allowme,” he replied. His radio crackled with a call from dispatch, buthe reached back and lowered the volume on the unit that was clippedto his belt. “I was sent here to care for the panthers. I’m onlyallowed to see if anything human is coming for them. With therecent work of other shifters in the area, I’ve been blind. Whenthis vision hit me this morning, I was confused, but I also knewnot to discredit it. I came to you as soon as I could. Whatever youdo with the information is on you, but I would at least contact oneof those Morgan brothers to let them know. I already tried to callthem, but they didn’t answer.”
“They don’t use their phones during theirhibernation,” she admitted. “They might wake up a few times andcheck their messages, but it’s not often.”
“Please, just call them,” he urged, droppinghis hands. “I’m not going out to their land, because I am notwelcome. I figured it was quicker to get the message to you than todrive out to their land, anyway.”
“I can reach them,” she replied, rubbing hertemples. “I’ll go now.”
“Good,” he nodded. “Thanks for themuffin.”
The sheriff left her standing in the middleof the room. With a white flash, he was gone, and she was left withthe information. Humans were on the hunt for her bears, and she’dmove the heavens to make sure Gunnar and his soon-to-be mate wereout of harm’s way.
As she dialed the male’s phone number, arumble of thunder sounded outside. Her eyes swirled faster as thecall was left unanswered. She would drive those humans away fromthe clan, and she’d rain hellfire down on them if they laid onefinger on her bears.
Chapter 1
Gunnar Morgan stretched as he woke fromhibernation. His bear rumbled at the scent of Anna Claire stillsleeping in his bedroom. Once winter came, she had been living inthe one temporary home on the property, but she was scared to bethere alone. Gunnar had offered to move her into his room and placea spare bed out in his living quarters so they could be togetherduring the winter. She’d agreed, and that had made his heartswell.
They’d forged a friendship over the summerand fall, but they hadn’t touched. Anna Claire was still strugglingwith her demons when they had bedded down for the winter, and hedidn’t know if she would ever be ready for a mating. His beast wasfighting him every second of the day to touch her and show her howmuch they wanted to be her mate.
“Gunnar?” Anna Claire’s sleep-fogged voicecalled out.
“I’m here,” he promised as he pushed thebedroom door open. His bear rumbled in his mind when he saw hernestled in a mound of blankets and several pillows. She’d made anest in the center of her bed for her winter slumber. “Are youready for spring?”
“I am,” she whispered, but her eyes betrayedher. She cast a glance at her lap, and a soft sigh fell from herpouty lips. “I think I am.”
“You can wake up whenever you’d like,” hereassured her. Gods, if he could kill her father again, he would.The male had allowed men to touch her and pass her around like herlife was worth nothing. Last spring, they’d found her trussed up inthe forest with a gash across her abdomen and thighs He’d vowed tohimself he’d see her healed from the trauma.
“Can you give me a minute?” she asked, asoft blush painting her cheeks.
“I’m going to make some coffee out here inthe kitchen,” he advised. “We don’t have to go into the main housefor a few more days.”
“What day is it anyway?” she asked.
“It’s March nineteenth,” he answered,looking at his watch. “We usually don’t gather with the othersuntil about three days after the first day of spring.” Bears weregroggy coming out of hibernation, and they were hungry. The Morganbears usually spent those three days eating as much as they couldto bulk up from the long winter sleep.
“That’s good,” she nodded, relief making herbody sag.
“You can sleep,” he urged. “I’m going tostart making some food, too. If you are feeling up to eating, it’llbe ready in about an hour.”
“That sounds amazing,” she hummed as sherubbed her flat stomach. “I could eat a whole cow.”
“Supplies are low, but I have just thething.” He winked and turned from the room, closing the door togive her some privacy.
At least Anna Claire was talking and actingthe same as she’d done right before the
