She had to do something. She had to live and get back to Sav. He was her mate. Maybe things hadn’t started out the normal way with them, but she’d fallen in love with the bear and she wanted to be with him. The indecision she’d been suffering had disappeared and been replaced with absolute certainty he was the one for her.

Heat filled her chest, spreading through her limbs and outward. Fur rolled under her skin. She couldn’t scream; she was in shock. Monica said something but it sounded distant. She raised her gaze to meet Monica’s but noticed she was moving away from Zuri, her eyes wide with fright.

Zuri listened to her insides. There, the animal spoke to her, asking her to let it roam, that she would help and take her back to Sav. Zuri gave in, giving the bear reign over her. The shift moved swiftly at that point. She went from human to bear fast.

Power filled her. She roared, her body feeling invincible. Wow. This was damn cool. She did a full circle and then slammed the door with her shoulder, taking it off its hinges. The door hit the floor and slid down the hall to stop several feet away.

She moved forward, looking for threats. She heard the men arguing and fighting. Someone screamed. Then Sav’s voice came into her head.

Zuri, love? Are you okay? Talk to me. Our mate link finally connected us.

Sav? You won’t believe this. I’m a bear.

Yes, baby. I know you’re cuddly.

She rolled her eyes in her mind. No. I shifted. I was able to turn into a bear.

You did it. We’re at the warehouse now. There’s some bad guys we have to take care of before we can get to you. Stay put.

No way! I can help. I’m strong. I’m deadly. I am bear, hear me roar!

She continued down the hall and found the scene of human men being chased by bears, wolves, and grizzlies fighting with brown bears. She knew who everyone was based on scent. The bad guys, the good guys. Her scent took her straight to her mate. He was fighting a brown bear.

Mick and his men were being torn to pieces by wolves. She couldn’t even feel bad for them. She had to lead the women out of the fighting to safety. They stayed close behind her in a single line.

Taking down another door, she took them out to the parking lot of the warehouse. They ran to the police cars with humans inside. They were smart not to get involved in shifter fights.

Zuri turned back to the warehouse but noticed a grizzly leaving the scene into the woods. She inhaled and roared. She knew that smell. Chasing after another bear would not have been her first thought, but her animal was in control. She knew Greer was bad news.

She tackled Greer. They flipped and rolled down a hill. On their feet again, she prowled toward the other bear.

They were supposed to get rid of you!

Zuri stopped. Who? Why?

Those stupid humans and that moron, Billy, from Midway Point. They promised to make you go away. Savage is mine!

The bear in Zuri was a lot more possessive and aggressive than the human. She clawed at Greer’s bear and bit her muzzle. Blood filled her mouth but the bear wasn’t as disgusted by this as the human.

You’re wrong, Greer. Sav is mine! Mine! MINE!

She clawed at the other repeatedly. The fury grew inside her at the thought of anyone taking her mate. Savage was the only man Zuri wanted. She knocked Greer on her back and it was easy to continue her attack.

The bites on her muzzle and clawing of her face and chest were nonstop. There was blood everywhere. Greer had stopped fighting and Zuri’s bear was still attacking.

Zuri?

She stopped, raised her head and saw Sav straight ahead. She went to him, her body stumbling as she transformed from a massive grizzly to a naked human. He was already in human form when she reached him, his arms wide open for her. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her body tightly to his. She loved how perfect it felt to be held by him. Now she understood what he meant. Knowing he was the right man for her made opening herself fully to his love easier.

“Take me home. Our home on top of the mountain.”

He growled in her ear and kissed her head. Then he picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the area before anyone else saw her naked. As an animal, she might not care, but as a human she still had modesty.