Chapter Three
This was not how she planned her day to go.
The entire trip started out as a quick way to get out of debt. Then it unexpectedly turned into some kind of “save the bears” mission. She wasn’t ready for any of this.
Those poachers had seen her. Knew she was taking pictures. Those criminals would probably keep hunting until they found her. At the very least, if they left, her car was the only one parked at the edge of the forest. Surely they’d be able to identify her from her license plates.
She was so stressed. On top of that, she was trapped in a freaking cave with some beast of a man. A stranger. He could be some serial killer hiding out in the woods for all she knew. None of this was good.
The cave smelled damp and it was getting colder by the minute. She had to close her mouth so he wouldn’t hear her teeth audibly shattering. As much as he’d tried to reassure her, she was not convinced the cave was bug and rodent-free.
“You’re cold,” he said. His deep voice startled her in the silence. She’d been drifting half in, half out of consciousness for a while, but doubted she’d be able to fall asleep.
“I’m okay.”
He shifted and took off his jacket, putting it over her shoulders. She wouldn’t have protested but it felt like heaven. How could his body be so hot in these conditions?
“Thank you,” she said. “What about you, though?”
He was only in a t-shirt. She had to give the nice, warm coat back.
“No, I’m not cold like you. And I won’t take it back, so don’t even think about it.”
“Thanks again,” she said. “Did you always live out here?”
“Mostly.”
“Why?”
“People disappoint me,” he said.
She could relate. Life in the city left a lot to be desired. People barely held the door for the next person anymore. People were rude, arrogant, and selfish. She enjoyed her job because it was just her and her camera. She just wished the job paid the bills, but it rarely did.
“Did someone disappoint you?” She regretted saying it almost immediately. Poppy was pushing too hard, and his guy lived in the wilderness for a reason.
“Everyone.”
She wasn’t expecting that answer. Someone must have really disappointed or hurt him in the past. As curious as she was, she kept her mouth shut. Poppy shifted to get more comfortable, and he made a little growl.
“Sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?” She’d been sitting between his legs to keep warm for a while now. He probably wanted to stretch his legs.
“No.”
“Do you think they’re gone?”
“It’s late. I think we’re safe to stay here the night. I’ll start a fire.”
She didn’t know how he’d do it, but she liked the idea of light and heat right now. Poppy shuffled over to lean against the wall again, holding his big coat tightly around herself.
She listened at first, then watched after a spark came to life. Slowly, he built a small fire, the crackle and scent of burning wood a comfort.
“Listen, I need to leave the cave for a while. The poachers are far from here. Are you okay being alone while I’m gone?”
A jolt of adrenaline shot through her at the thought.
“Alone? Where are you going?” It was pitch-dark outside now. Was this a bathroom break or him trying to get out of babysitting her?
“I want to head over to the poacher’s camp across the ridge.”
“What? Why?”
“I told you the sow had cubs. I need to know if they’re alive or not. They won’t survive on their own.”
She exhaled. That was definitely honorable and something she could get behind.
“Okay. Be careful, though.”
He nodded, then ducked out of the cave still in just a t-shirt. He’d freeze to death. On top of that, bear cubs were deadly themselves. What was he going to do if they were alive? It wasn’t like finding some newborn kittens on your back porch.
At least she had the fire. It gave her a false sense of security, which was better than nothing.
She remembered being held by him on the hike to the cave.
The more she thought about it, the more his strength astonished her.
They’d walked over rugged terrain for miles.
And she wasn’t light by any means. The mere thought of his power definitely turned her on.
Add the way his hands felt on her body...
No way would a man like him be interested in a woman like her, so it was best to keep those fantasies locked away.
There was no way to tell how much time had passed, but she heard animal noises close to the mouth of the cave, and her heart started racing.
She slowly shuffled her way farther into the cave.
Where was Wilder? Some animal was coming home for the night.
This was the end of her. The sniffing and grunting sounds nearly made her pass out from the fear.
When she saw his face duck into the cave, the relief made her dizzy. He’d come back to her. And he was with a small bear. She tensed up. It may be a so-called cub, but it was huge. With killer teeth and claws.
“Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you,” Wilder said.
“How do you know?”
“He’s alone now. His mother was killed by those poachers, her body just left to rot. There was just the one cub.”
“Did they kill the others?”
“No, first-time mothers often have just one.”
The cub was fascinated by the fire but wouldn’t get too close.
“He’s cute, but I’m still scared. I don’t know why you’re not.”
“I know how he feels. I know these animals,” he said. “I’ve helped injured animals most of my life.”
And somehow, he became even more attractive to her.
This time she really paid attention. His eyes were so dark, she’d call them black.
Or was it because of the shadows? His hair was shaggy, dark, and unkempt, giving him a rugged quality.
His features were strong and masculine, and his body ...
well, in the t-shirt she could see he was corded with muscle.
A true powerhouse of a man unlike any she’d ever seen.
The men in her circles were pencil-pushers, and she was usually the one stuck carrying the boxes of printer paper.
Wilder was in a league of his own.
****
Wilder had been so grateful and relieved to find the young cub hunkering down in the woods near his mother’s body. It brought back a firestorm of darkness he kept buried. Too many memories. No way could he leave the cub alone, even if it wasn’t a shifter.
He carried him most of the way, but set him down for the last bit of the journey. He wasn’t a shifter, just a grizzly cub, but Wilder still had command of the beasts in his human form. They sensed an alpha and obeyed, even stubborn little cubs.
He knew of several bear families near his cabin who’d willingly adopt the youngster. He’d just have to make the journey with them tomorrow.
Wilder sat down on the opposite side of the fire. The cub came and curled up next to him against his leg, immediately falling asleep.
“I’m still in shock that a wild bear cub is acting like that with you. You’d think he was your pet dog, not a wild animal.”
“He’s been through a lot.”
“I guess so.”
She didn’t look convinced. He doubted she’d imagine he was a grizzly shifter just because he was good with animals. He’d have to be more careful, though. If humans knew about shifters, they’d destroy them all. Like everything else they touched.
“Are you cold yet?” That same look was in her eyes. She was getting suspicious.
“I have a high metabolism. It keeps me warm.”
“What were you doing so far from your cabin at night?” she asked.
He narrowed his eyes. “You do remember I saved you, right?”
“Yes, but I have a lot of questions. I’m a photographer but I work with journalists every day. I guess I got my inquisitiveness from them.”
“This is my land. Sacred land. I know about the poachers and do my best to scare them off. It didn’t turn out so well today.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she said, her voice softening. “You can’t be everywhere at once.”
“I need to be.”
She alternated watching the flames and looking at the sleeping cub.
“Don’t you get lonely?”
No, he never felt lonely. Bears were naturally solitary creatures.
All he needed was his land and the nature around him.
He did miss having a mate. With breeding season tugging at his hormones, it was more evident than usual.
He imagined that’s why his bear was confused, ready to fuck a human and claim her as his own.
“No.”
“Never?” she asked.
He growled a bit, but tried to stifle it. “A wife would be nice. But I’ve gone forty-eight years without one, so I think I’ll survive.”
That shut her up. When he looked over, this time she was looking him right in the eyes. And she didn’t look away this time.
“It’s only natural to want to find someone to spend your life with,” she said. “I feel the same thing from time to time, especially when everyone my age seems to be married with children.”
“Why not you?” he asked.
“Well, look at me, for one.”
He cocked his head. “That’s why I asked. Any male would be thrilled to claim you as his own.”
She laughed out loud, but it was more like a snort.
“Yes, Wilder. I have a long line of suitors. I have to beat them off with a stick.”
He nodded.
Wilder imagined she was highly sought after in the human world. She was soft, with big ripe tits and large hips and thighs. He loved a thick woman. She’d be the perfect mate, luscious and made for fucking. He felt his own cock firm up. which was ridiculous. He wasn’t human like her.
But part of him was. He often neglected his human side, choosing to live in his fur most of the time. It was easier to get around the forest, and his senses were magnified.
“If I was back in my apartment, I’d be watching some lame movie from bed, eating food I shouldn’t be eating, and thinking depressing thoughts to complete the spiral. I guess it’s not so bad being in this cave with you.” She chuckled again.
He had such prejudices regarding humans and their society because they’d proven themselves to him over and over. This girl was different. She wasn’t loud or rude or judgmental. He didn’t even mind her company. Wilder was glad he’d saved her.
“What about you?” she asked. “If this was a normal night for you, what would you be doing?”
He had to think about it. His life was calm and peaceful when humans weren’t trespassing.
“I would be sleeping.”
“Oh.”
“I prefer to hunt in the daytime,” he expanded. “I do my rounds, I read, and I tend to my bees.”
“Bees?”
“I have twenty hives.”
“Twenty? Do you sell the honey?” she asked.
“No, I eat it. It’s one of my favorite things.”
She smiled.
“I’d love to try your honey.”
“I’ll give you some when we get to my cabin tomorrow. It’s the best. The bees have a lot of wildflowers around them.”
“Really? I love wildflowers. I think they’re one of my favorite things. I have so many photos and scrapbooks of them at home. And I know a lot of fun useless plant facts on top of it. I’m a catch, Wilder.”
He smiled. And couldn’t stop smiling. Somehow, she made him feel happiness. It must be a mix of her honesty, innocence, and childhood wonder. He didn’t want her to leave the forest.
She’d make a great mate for someone. For some reason when he envisioned her with someone else, he became agitated. More than agitated. She was a human, not a shifter. He should hate her and everything she stands for.
He thought of his parents and that doused those rising feelings. Humans were the enemy, and he had to remember that.