Max scented the danger just as he was about to succumb to his instincts and kiss her.

Damn, he had shit timing.

The birds and the other animals had caught the scent too, and wisely fled.

But Sarah couldn’t fly or dash on nimble paws. She was so vulnerable, this mate of his.

Mate, the bear agreed.

Max moved in front of her, blocking her from the threat with his body.

“Max,” she breathed.

He sensed them before he saw them.

Two silver wolves appeared in the shadows between the trees on the hillside above them, snouts lifted appraisingly.

They were real wolves, not shifters, and eager to feed before winter made their prey more scarce.

“Get out of here,” he shouted, hoping to frighten them away.

One cocked his massive head inquisitively.

The other took a step forward.

“Stay behind me, Sarah,” Max said in a low voice.

He hoped she wouldn’t be offended. He knew he’d been bossy and protective all morning. Hopefully she wouldn’t choose now to take a stand.

The bear roared and gnashed its teeth in his chest, eager to burst free, to protect, to destroy the threat.

Easy, boy, Max begged.

Sarah stayed put.

But the bear threw itself against the bars of its mental cage, desperate to guard their mate.

Max would let no harm come to her, but he couldn’t just turn into a bear in front of her.

Besides, he wasn’t even sure he could shift.

The bear snarled, as if to challenge him to give it a chance.

“Are those…?” Sarah trailed off.

She had finally noticed what his senses had told him minutes ago.

Before he could answer, he picked up the scent of a third wolf.

It was crouching in the thick overgrowth beside them, taking advantage of the direction of the breeze to stay concealed as long as possible.

They were cut off - trapped between the granite ledge and the wolves above and below.

Now, the bear roared.

Max looked from the powerful jaws of the wolves to the tender flesh of the woman behind him.

And he let go.

The movies made shifting look painful. The person screamed and convulsed in agony as their body twisted, bones cracking and skin straining to accommodate the new form. Though his parents had told him real shifting didn’t hurt at all, Max had always suspected they were stretching the truth.

But today, the moment he shrugged off his control, it began seamlessly.

As Max fell forward, the appearance of the trees before him went from colorful to riotous. Shades of gold and scarlet and green expanded before his eyes.

He landed on massive front paws.

He heard the breath of the wolves, the cries of the birds a mile away, the footstep of a mouse deep in the trees.

He sensed his mate, cowering behind him, but she did not make a sound.

Something was off about her, but he couldn’t place it. Complicated thinking seemed to elude him in this form.

So he focused on the threat instead.

The bear pushed to the front of his consciousness and Max mentally stepped back, watching through their shared eyes.

He felt his fur stand on end as he roared with all his might at the two wolves on the hillside above.

The one in front dropped to its haunches, ears pinned flat against its head.

Its companion scuttled off sideways, tail tucked under its rump.

Satisfaction burst in his chest and he roared again.

Sarah whimpered.

He whipped around to see the third wolf inching forward, teeth bared.

Max cut off the path to his mate, stood on his hind legs and bellowed.

The third wolf turned and fled down the hill, the other two at its heels.

Filled with furious glory, Max roared again, so loudly it echoed off the tree trunks.

It had been so long since he had tasted this freedom, his birthright, the ancient dance of the protector.

The scent of his mate’s fear roused him from his celebration.

He dropped back onto four paws, sniffed for more danger, but found none. The wolves were gone. What had spooked her?

Us, Max’s human voice came from deep inside. She’s afraid of us.

It was true, and the bear knew it immediately. He lowered his big head sadly to browse the ground near her feet in embarrassment.

Let me back out, the man asked from within. I can help her understand.

Reluctantly, the bear gave over.

You will be free again, the man promised comfortingly.

The bear did not know if this was true. He turned the idea around in his mind as his vision shifted and the world dulled to its usual palette through the man’s eyes.

Max was crouching on the ground, naked at Sarah’s feet.

“You must have so many questions,” he murmured.

But she didn’t reply.

Suspecting the worst, he straightened.

Sarah gazed at him, eyes wide with wonder, maybe even admiration.

But no fear.

And then it hit him. That was what was wrong before, what had confused the bear.

Sarah wasn’t afraid of him.

And she didn’t seem particularly surprised either.

Almost as if she’d expected it. But how was that possible? Even he hadn’t known what to expect.

And he’d never told anyone his secret.