The Bear’s Fiery Mate (Bear Creek Forever: Thornberg Restaurant #4)

Chapter One – Estelle

Estelle glanced in the rearview mirror. Adara looked so peaceful, her dark eyelashes fluttering against her round cheeks. The little girl’s head had tipped sideways against the booster seat, mouth slightly open. Four years old, and already she’d been through too much.

Estelle had never pictured her life being like this. Responsible for a small child. A child who had won her heart even as it broke. But this was her life now. She looked past Adara in her booster seat and checked the road behind them one more time, making sure it was clear.

We’re not being followed, her dragon told her.

I know, Estelle thought back, but the habit was hard to lose. The past few months had left her with a paranoia she doubted she would ever lose.

With a sigh, she turned her attention to the road ahead and the mountains, those beautiful mountains rising around them.

Damn, how she loved mountains with their emerald green forests and mist-filled valleys.

Her dragon stirred restlessly within, stretching phantom wings and sending a tremor through Estelle’s body—both of them aching to tear through the air above those jagged amethyst peaks, where nothing could touch them, and the world below fell away.

One day soon, Estelle promised her dragon. But we have different priorities first. We have to get Adara settled and safe.

The “Welcome to Bear Creek” sign appeared around the bend, weathered wood with carved bears climbing its edges. She’d chosen the town with care. Bear Creek was small enough to disappear into, large enough that they wouldn’t stand out as newcomers. Perfect.

But there was something else about Bear Creek. Something she could not put her finger on, could not put into words. A longing. A calling. As if this were where she was meant to be.

Fantasy, her dragon scoffed. There is nowhere we are supposed to be.

Except by Adara’s side, Estelle murmured.

Always, her dragon said, and tucked her head under her wing.

“Adara, honey. We’re almost there.” Estelle kept her voice soft, not wanting to startle the child.

Adara’s eyes fluttered open, that familiar gold-flecked gaze finding Estelle immediately. “Are we home?” she asked, voice small and hopeful.

Home. Such a loaded word. Estelle’s heart ached with that same longing that had drawn her here. She just hoped she’d made the right decision. Estelle had always trusted her head, but choosing Bear Creek had been a decision of the heart.

“Almost. Just a few more minutes.” She turned off the main road and climbed higher into the mountains, glad to be putting the town and its population behind her.

Finally, she turned off the road, and they bumped along a potholed track for a short distance. Then the track opened into a wooded clearing, and there it was. Home.

At least for now.

The cottage blended seamlessly into its surroundings, with its weathered wraparound porch and shingle roof.

Our fresh start, her dragon murmured.

But for how long? How long before she would have to pack up their scant belongings and move on again?

Don’t think about that now, her dragon said.

You’re right. Estelle parked in the driveway and immediately assessed the property. The realtor had promised the place was secluded enough for privacy but close enough to town for convenience.

She seemed to have gotten it exactly right.

There’s another car approaching, her dragon murmured.

Estelle immediately stiffened. But then let out a long breath. It was probably just Sian. They were due to meet here so that the realtor could hand over the keys.

Estelle rolled her shoulders. It had been a long drive, and she couldn’t wait to get out of the car and stretch her legs.

And my wings, her dragon added.

Estelle was not willing to commit to that. Not until she had a good sense of the place.

“Do you want to take a look at our new place?” Estelle asked, turning to look back at Adara.

The little girl’s eyes widened, all traces of sleepiness vanishing. She kicked her legs against the booster seat and clutched her stuffed dragon—the sparkly one she’d named Fizz—tight against her chest.

“Yes! Can we go now?” Adara’s whole face lit up with excitement.

Estelle smiled as some of her tension eased. “We sure can.”

She opened her door and stepped out, her back protesting after the long drive. Stretching her arms overhead, Estelle took a moment to scan the treeline and the surrounding clearing, instinctively cataloging potential escape routes and hiding spots.

When she was satisfied, Estelle moved to Adara’s door and unclipped the complicated buckles of the car seat. Were these things intentionally made to outwit her fingers? “Come on, little one.”

Adara immediately reached for her, small arms wrapping around Estelle’s neck as she lifted the child from the seat.

The familiar weight against her chest sent a wave of fierce protectiveness through Estelle.

She pressed a kiss to Adara’s soft cheek, breathing in the scent of baby shampoo and the faint cinnamon warmth that was uniquely dragon.

“Down, please,” Adara requested, wiggling in Estelle’s arms. “I want to see.”

Estelle set her carefully on the ground, steadying the child as she found her footing. Adara wobbled for a moment, legs stiff from sitting so long in the car. Then, with a delighted squeal, she took off toward the cottage, Fizz clutched in one hand while the other swung at her side.

“Careful on the steps,” Estelle called, following close behind.

Adara clambered up the wooden porch steps with unsteady determination, her little trainers thumping against each riser. When she reached the top, she spun around, her face bright with joy.

“Is this really our house?” she asked, bouncing on her toes. “It’s so big!”

The cottage wasn’t large by most standards—just a modest two-bedroom with the promised wraparound porch—but compared to the series of apartments and motel rooms they’d been living in, Estelle supposed it was practically a mansion.

“For now it is,” Estelle said, climbing the steps to join her. She ran her hand over the weathered porch railing. The wood felt reassuringly solid beneath her fingers. “What do you think?”

Adara pressed her face against the window beside the front door, fogging the glass with her breath. “Can I see inside?”

“As soon as…” Estelle began, as a blue sedan pulled into the clearing, tires crunching over fallen pine needles.

Estelle watched as a middle-aged woman stepped out, her movements unhurried as she reached for a clipboard from the passenger seat.

Brown hair falling loose around her shoulders, practical clothes, and a friendly smile.

Non-threatening, Estelle assessed automatically.

She frowned, catching herself. Non-threatening.

That was how she saw people now—threat or non-threat.

Not a friend or a stranger. Just varying degrees of danger.

A knot formed in her stomach as she glanced down at Adara, who was now hiding partially behind her legs, Fizz clutched tightly against her chest.

Is this really the life I’m creating for her? Always watching, always wary?

The woman approached with a warm smile, hand extended. “You must be Estelle! I’m Sian Franks. So lovely to meet you in person after all our phone calls.”

The familiar voice—slightly husky with a hint of local accent—made some of the tension ease from Estelle’s shoulders. They’d spoken several times over the past few weeks while arranging the rental.

“Ms. Franks, hello.” Estelle shook her hand briefly, then placed her palm protectively on Adara’s head.

Sian crouched down, bringing herself to eye level with the little girl. “Well, hello there. That’s a very special dragon you’ve got.”

Adara nodded solemnly but didn’t speak, pressing herself closer to Estelle’s leg.

Standing back up, Sian turned to take in the view—the sloping meadow behind the cottage, the dense forest beyond, and the mountains rising majestically in the distance. “So,” she said, gesturing broadly, “what do you think?”

Estelle looked around, feeling that strange pull again, that rightness. “It’s exactly what you promised.”

A satisfied smile spread across Sian’s face. “I’m good at matching people to their homes. It’s a gift.” She jingled a set of keys. “Shall we go inside?”

Estelle nodded, and suddenly Adara was bouncing up and down beside her, shyness forgotten.

“Fizz can’t wait to see her new bedroom!” she exclaimed, holding the stuffed dragon aloft.

“Well, I think Fizz is going to love it here,” Sian said as she opened the door wide. “After you.”

The interior of the cottage was simple but perfect—clean lines, sturdy furniture, nothing fragile that Estelle would need to move out of Adara’s reach.

The main floor was open plan, with a modest kitchen flowing into a cozy living area dominated by a stone fireplace.

Large windows let in plenty of natural light and offered views of the surrounding forest.

Sian led them upstairs to inspect the two bedrooms—a larger one for Estelle and a smaller one that already had Adara squealing with delight over the built-in window seat.

“It’s perfect,” Estelle said as they completed the tour, meaning it.

Sian nodded, looking pleased with herself. “I’m glad you trusted me. Not many people will sign a rental agreement without seeing the property first.”

Estelle redirected quickly. “Tell me more about the town. Where’s the closest grocery store?” She knew the answers already—had researched Bear Creek thoroughly before choosing it—but asking felt normal, expected.

Sian launched into a description of Main Street, the weekly farmers’ market, and the small but well-stocked general store. She spoke about the town with obvious affection, mentioning friendly neighbors and community events with a warmth that made Estelle more certain she’d chosen the right place.

After answering all of Estelle’s carefully casual questions, Sian glanced at her watch. “If there’s nothing else you need right now, I have another appointment. But please call if anything comes up—day or night.”

“Thank you, we will.” Estelle walked her to the door, accepting the keys and a folder of local information.

She stood on the porch, watching as Sian’s car disappeared down the wooded drive. The moment the vehicle disappeared from sight, something strange rippled through her body. The fine hairs on her neck stood on end, and her fingers tightened instinctively on the porch railing.

Someone’s coming, her dragon whispered, suddenly alert.

Estelle went dizzy, almost feverish. Her vision sharpened as her dragon pushed forward, lending her its heightened senses. She scanned the tree line, breathing deeply.

There—movement at the forest edge. Not a person.

A bear.

Large and dark, it emerged partially from the trees, watching the cottage with an intensity no ordinary bear should have. As Estelle stared, unable to look away, something electric crackled through the air. The bear’s form blurred, then vanished completely.

Shifter.

He must have thought she couldn’t see him from this distance, couldn’t witness his transformation. But her dragon-enhanced vision caught every detail.

Estelle held her breath as the bear was instantly replaced by a man, tall and powerful. Even from a distance, she could feel his gaze lock onto hers.

Everything inside her went still, then erupted in recognition. The longing that had drawn her to Bear Creek suddenly made perfect, terrifying sense.

Mate, her dragon purred with absolute certainty.

Estelle gripped the railing harder as the world tilted beneath her feet. This wasn’t part of the plan. She’d come here for safety, for anonymity. Not for... this.

He was walking toward her, and for a split second, she had a choice. Scoop Adara up, run for the car, drive away, and never look back.

But her feet refused to move.