Mated to the Wilde Bear

Xavier rubbed his eyes and shuffled through the stack of applications once more. But pawing through them again didn't change facts. Not a damn one of them was more qualified than the resume he'd already set aside.

He picked it up just as Jake and Nash entered his office.

"Hey, boss." Jake fell into the cushioned chair opposite Xavier's desk.

"Hey." Nash followed suit and between the three of them, they filled the empty space inside the small corner office.

Xavier grunted back at them. He hadn't been in the mood to shoot the shit since dinner. Or, more specifically, since that earth-shattering kiss he'd had with the DOT chic. After that horrific night senior year, Xavier had spent the last ten years steering clear of women. Somehow, after a perfect record of avoidance, Laurel Adams had gotten under his skin with almost no effort on her part, and he had no clue what to do about it.

"It's not even ski season, and you're burning the midnight oil?" Nash asked.

"Yeah, boss. I thought August was vacation month," Jake said.

Both men watched him carefully. He knew that look too. They were worried about him but knew better than to ask. "I want to get it right with this new hire," he said.

And because he knew he had to start somewhere, Xavier waved the resume at them. Jake snatched it first. He read the first few lines and then looked back at Xavier with wide eyes. "No fucking way." "Let me see." Nash grabbed the paper hard enough to make Xavier wince.

"Kyra Gold," Jake said.

Nash looked up at Xavier in disbelief. "You can't hire a chick."

"Why not?" Xavier asked, even though he'd already known this argument was coming. "She's clearly the most qualified out of all the applicants. She's first aid qualified, field medicine trained, she's led survivalist and tracking workshops-"

"She's a girl," Jake broke in. As if that settled everything.

Nash nodded. "He's right. We can't bring a girl into the crew. You know how women mess up the dynamic. Think about that crew in Montana we heard about last year. They broke up over it. Broke up, man." Xavier rose, temper flaring as his bear reached its limit for the day. "No, I don't know. Neither do you. We only know stories, but nothing firsthand. We're a strong crew, and a well-qualified patroller would make us stronger. End of story."

He sidestepped his desk, resisting the urge to smash through it instead, and headed for the exit. He didn't need to be ragged, not again. God, what a fucking day.

The boys didn't say another word as he stormed out the back door and straight into the woods. The night was clear, the moon bright and full, and Xavier gave into his animal the moment he was clear of the office.

He shed his clothes, tossing them into a pile at the base of a tree, and shifted fast. The moment his bear's paws hit the ground, he ran. It felt good to move. To give in to the pent-up frustration today had brought.

If Jake's and Nash's reactions were any indication, that new hire situation was going to get ugly. He needed some distance.

But even as a bear, he couldn't stop thinking about Laurel and that kiss. He told himself it was just because he hadn't been with anyone else in so long. But deep down, he knew it was more. He wanted her. His bear wanted her. No, scratch that. His bear needed her. And that scared the shit out of him. He'd been on his own way too long. He didn't want to need anyone.

The familiar scent was so subtle he thought he'd only imagined it. He was thinking about her too hard. But then the wind shifted, and he knew it was really there. He came to a stop and sniffed harder. It was definitely Laurel, without all that mind-numbing perfume she usually wore.

What the hell was she doing in the woods late at night?

He sniffed again, and this time, the scent of an animal hit him hard. Shit. Was something out here stalking her?

He broke into a run, dodging trees, using the moon and the scent to guide him. His heart pounded as he thought of her injured or worse. A screeching bark broke the quiet and Xavier's heart clenched. He sped up.

The trees finally gave way, and he stopped short at the edge of a clearing. In the center stood the largest red fox he'd ever seen. It sat in the grass, mewling and screeching as if it were crying. He looked frantically right and left for Laurel, but he saw only the fox. As he watched, the fox screeched again and suddenly shifted.

The fox vanished and Laurel stood in its place. She stood naked, her hair hanging in her face. The moonlight glinted off her tear-stained cheeks as she spun in a slow circle, searching the trees. She looked utterly lost, and Xavier's protective instincts kicked in.

In the shadows, Xavier shifted and climbed to his feet. He rushed to her, grabbing her and pulling her into his arms before she could protest.

"Xavier? How did you find me?" she asked, and before he could answer, she was sobbing against him. His bear's heart broke for her, and he felt the pull he'd fought earlier turn to yearning. And then it settled, and Xavier knew. She was it for him. There would be no one else. His bear had claimed her right here in this moonlit clearing.

Laurel's sobs turned to sniffles, and still, Xavier held her, rubbing circles over her back and hair to soothe her. "Sshh. I've got you," he murmured.

But the truth was she had him. Xavier's bear was hers now, and it would be for as long as he lived.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐