Chapter Twelve
“All bears have dark eyes.”
Poppy had been able to stop shaking, and she looked over to the now resting fawn and wondered why she ever thought Wilder was a monster. After he got her back to his home, he’d gotten her a hot chocolate, and then she watched as he tended the fawn.
His entire manner was that of caring. His movements were slow as not to startle the fawn. He spoke quietly, softly. Such a contrast to his massive, intimidating size. Everything about his actions screamed caring and loving.
Yet, she couldn’t get the vision of that room out of her mind. She lifted her hot chocolate to her lips and took a sip. It tasted so damn good. Must be his honey.
Wilder came out from his bedroom, and he pulled out a chair. He’d changed his clothes and had taken a shower. So much had happened so fast. Poppy wasn’t sure what to think.
For the longest time, he just sat there, and neither of them spoke. Was he hurt she’d run away? Angry? She didn’t want to look at him, because the disappointment just ate away at her.
“You think I’m a poacher,” Wilder said after the longest time, and this made her jerk her head up to look at him.
“I saw that room,” she said. She couldn’t help but look behind him, as if she could still see it now.
Wilder sighed. “It’s not what you think.”
“It looked like you tortured bears or something. How could you do something like that!” She felt sick.
After all, she had seen what those damn poachers had done to that bear, and Wilder even helped the cub.
“Is that what you do? Torture the parents, then put the kids into some kind of sanctuary and hunt them down when they’re set loose?” Poppy asked. “Is it a game to you?”
Wilder slammed his fists down on the table, startling her.
“I have never, nor will I ever, murder another living being in my life. I know what humans do to bears, and to all kinds of beings just for the sheer sport of it. There are fucking wars because of it, so don’t ever compare me to poachers or humans.
I have never given you any reason to question me. Not a single one.”
Poppy was shocked by his outburst. The passion in his voice took her breath away.
“That room is not what you think it is. I have never hurt, nor tortured an animal in all my life. Hunting and murder are two different things. The way you are today tells me you’re not ready to know what that room is about.
” Wilder got to his feet, and he shocked her more by grabbing his jacket and storming out the door.
Only, he came back. “If you have absolutely no trust or belief in me, then fine, run off. Those poachers will kill you the moment they get the chance. Make a decision. Either trust me and have faith in me, or put yourself at the mercy of real monsters.” And with that, he slammed the door closed.
Poppy could only stare at the door, a frog in her throat and an overwhelming feeling of shame.
In his eyes, she saw the anger, even a little hatred, and she felt that instant hit of guilt.
She got to her feet and moved toward the door, only as she looked outside, there was no sign of Wilder. He was gone.
There was no way she could leave. The poachers were out there, and she looked toward the corridor where that room was, and she saw the key was still in the lock, but the door had been closed. Why hadn’t Wilder taken the key? Why was he so upset?
For weeks they’d shared everything, fell in love with each other, and then she pulled this stunt. No wonder he was pissed. She looked toward the fawn that was now sleeping. When Wilder had been shouting, the fawn had been alert.
Poppy looked around the kitchen, and she sighed.
She had accused Wilder, but the state of that room made absolutely no sense to her.
How could he not have been torturing animals?
Yet, his outburst screamed of an innocent man with nothing to hide.
Had he done bad things in the past and changed?
She wasn’t ready to know what that room was?
Did that mean Wilder was going to talk to her about it?
She dropped her head into her hands and felt like sobbing. This wasn’t good. She wished she could go back in time and not jump to conclusions. She looked around the kitchen, and it seemed so cold and empty. It was already dark outside.
Poppy didn’t know if Wilder was even going to come back, but if there was a chance, she was going to get a meal on the table as a peace offering.
In the fridge, were some meats labeled “stewing,” and another smaller pouch labeled “ground meat.” Wilder had an antique meat grinder bolted to the wooden counter.
There was no time to stew any meat, as she wanted to make sure dinner was ready when Wilder got home.
She grabbed the ground meat, then got to work on the vegetables.
She was not the best cook in the world, but she did try her best.
Poppy chopped up some onion, carrot, celery, and got that started in the pot, along with the ground meat.
Once that was stewing, she searched the cupboards for more essentials and found some canned beans and tomatoes.
There were also some seasoning blends, and she grabbed them as well, and just let her hands do all the work.
After all, her mouth had caused a great deal of trouble, and she didn’t want to upset Wilder.
With the meat bubbling on the stove, she peeled some potatoes and got them boiling as well.
She found some sour cream and cheese, and got to work on grating the cheese.
By the time the potatoes were boiled, she turned to see Wilder returning, and gone was the anger in his eyes.
She felt instant relief that he was back safely.
He also looked a little taken aback to see she was here cooking for him.
“Hi,” she said. “Dinner won’t be long. I’m just mashing the potatoes right now.” She offered him a smile and gave him her back.
She sensed that he didn’t move for the longest time, and she kept herself busy, serving him a large bowl, then serving herself some. Maybe next time, rather than jump to conclusions, she should just come into the kitchen to cook. That seemed the safest of all options.
Poppy put the filled bowl of food in front of him, along with a knife and fork. Wilder sat down at the kitchen table, and she joined him, sitting opposite, waiting expectantly.
At first, he didn’t eat. He just stared at her.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I saw that room and I jumped to conclusions and I shouldn’t have. I shouldn’t have run away, and those poachers, they think you can locate that bear.”
She was not going to hide from him. Wilder had saved her, already what felt like a dozen times since they’d met.
“I do know how to locate that bear,” Wilder said.
Poppy’s eyes went wide. “Those other men were killed, Wilder. You’re going to need to be careful.”
“You don’t think I should lure it into a trap, bring it back to my room and torture it?”
She looked at him, and it was so stupid. “No, I don’t.”
“But it killed a man, possibly more.”
Poppy picked up her fork, and she glanced over to Wilder. “Well, maybe the bear felt threatened, and perhaps those poachers deserved it.”
****
Wilder needed to get out of the kitchen. He couldn’t believe Poppy thought the worst of him. That fucking room was his own personal nightmare, and even now, he didn’t want to think about it.
Those fucking poachers were not leaving well enough alone, and he finally had Poppy back to safety, and now, she had cooked him a delicious meal.
He wasn’t angry with her anymore. He could only imagine what she must have thought seeing that room. It had been so long since even he’d been inside it. He could not blame her for being afraid.
After he left the kitchen, he didn’t linger in the yard, as he needed to clear his head, and especially find a way to abate the rage that consumed him.
The only way he could control his bear, was by having complete and total control, and that meant over his emotions as well.
There was no room for error, otherwise someone would get hurt, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his woman.
Poppy didn’t deserve that. But she did deserve an explanation.
How did you tell a human that the big grizzly bear and himself were one and the same?
That he’d been a bear shifter all his life.
His parents were bear shifters, and he’d always been alone.
Not only were there bear shifters, but wolves, coyotes. Those were just two of the shifters he’d met coming through this very forest. They all had an understanding. So long as they didn’t trespass on his land, they were quite welcome to coexist. It had suited him for a long time.
Sure, he talked with a few of them, even invited one or two back for coffee and allowed them to rest for the night. But, by morning, they were gone. Sometimes he wrote to them and started a friendship.
After he’d checked the perimeter and finally returned back to his home, he’d discovered Poppy had cooked for him.
Her apology meant a great deal to him, and that was another reason he knew she was his mate and belonged to only him.
He could forgive her. Her apology was sincere.
They were not empty words and had real feeling behind them.
So, he wasn’t angry with her anymore. However, he did take another shower and told her to get some rest. The fawn was still fast asleep and only moved when he was close, but she knew nothing bad was going to happen to her.
Rather than sleep with Poppy, he took a spare pillow and some blankets he didn’t need out into the living room. He removed his clothes but kept on his boxers, extinguishing the light as he made his way toward the window.
Something wasn’t right with those poachers. They wanted the bear alive. They wanted him alive, and they somehow knew there was a connection between him and the beast. He’d been sloppy. They hadn’t quite figured out yet that they were one and the same.
This was bad because he’d noticed there was a new poacher. They must have called another of their buddies to take the place of the man he’d killed. They were not going quietly, and seeing as tonight he’d killed another, he wondered if another human would take his place.
They knew where he lived. The only reason he came back here was because as of right now, it was the only safe place in the forest. Everywhere else was at risk. The poachers were defenseless here. The only way to keep him and Poppy safe was to remain here.
He looked out into the night, knowing there would come a time soon when Poppy was going to know the truth.
At the sound of her moving, he turned his head just before she came into view.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hi.” He didn’t move from his spot near the window, giving her space. He sensed her nerves.
“You’re still awake.”
He didn’t say anything, just looked at how beautiful she was.
The fawn looked up at Poppy, but then deemed her not to be a threat and went back to sleep.
It wouldn’t be long before he’d be able to release her back out into the wild.
He’d gladly have a whole pet sanctuary for every injured animal he found.
But he’d learned long ago the forest was their sanctuary.
It was the humans ruining it for them all.
He tried to keep the forest safe. However, some humans were relentless.
She gave him a gentle smile and stepped closer. “I miss you.”
“Poppy, you need tonight to clear your head.”
She rushed forward and grabbed his hands. “I don’t need tonight. I don’t ... I was foolish to think the worst of you, but please don’t ... sleep out here alone. I can’t stand it.”
He looked down at her hands. So small compared to his own. She was human and vulnerable and she didn’t know the truth.
“I had no right to be angry,” he said.
“Yes, you had every right. I was foolish and you didn’t give me permission to go looking in that room, and for that, I am sorry.” She sighed. “I shouldn’t have gone into that room, and I shouldn’t have ran off, and that is my fault. That is not your fault.”
Wilder hated this, because he could use this to his advantage. Use her guilt to make her forget all about it and just live with what he said. But it wasn’t right. She deserved to know the truth. Poppy was his mate. She wasn’t just some random human.
He reached out and tilted her head back so he could look into her eyes. She’d noticed that his eyes were the same as his bear’s. His bear’s temper was the same as his. There were a lot of things he and his bear shared.
It was how he was able to control himself for so long.
“Poppy, there’s something I need to tell you...” He stopped because he never thought for a million years that this was how he would tell his mate he was a bear. He never thought he would be this nervous.
And then he heard it—the unmistakable sound of twigs snapping way too close to his home.