She’s okay, she’s okay, he chanted to himself, trying to calm him and his bear down. He glanced behind him and found her in bear form as well, following behind him. They only had about another mile to go until they would reach his truck. Once they reached it, he would shift back, then they would talk.

Having her at his side, naked and trying to tend to his wound, had him thinking thoughts that he shouldn’t have of his little sister’s friend. Her pert breasts with the dark areolas, shifting every time she moved, had him sweating more than the damn pain from the gunshot. Hell, before leaving the alpha, he had all but gotten his blessing at the mating between the two of them.

He needed to think. Was he ready to take a mate? He had a large savings, a career he loved, and his own home. He came from a strong family, and his sister would be thrilled to have Stacia as a sister-in-law.

Why now? Why would his bear choose Stacia? He’d known her for years, and always kept his distance from her because of the age difference. They never ran in the same crowds, and even when she was over at their home, her and Callia pretty much stayed in his sister’s room when they were growing up.

Stacia’s bear came to stroll next to him as they continued their journey through the woods. Her concerned eyes looked to him, as if wanting assurance that he was okay. He nodded to her, letting her know that he was fine. With the shift, his human body would heal. He would probably be a little sore for a day or two, but the wound itself would be healed.

They traveled in a comfortable silence while his mind raced. His bear was comforted by the sheer presence of Stacia’s bear, but on high alert since they were traveling in the middle of the night, deep into unknown territory. No longer did he have the feeling that something was missing. His bear wasn’t demanding to go running off into the woods in search of something unknown.

He was content.

Izek had been too busy with his career before to pay attention to what his bear had been trying to tell him; it was plain as day. His bear had been searching for hers. She was his mate.

They came to the clearing and found his truck exactly where he had left it parked. He pulled back on his bear and forced the shift. The pain of transformation was temporary, and within seconds, he kneeled on the ground, back in his human form.

“I have a duffle bag in the truck with some clothes for both of us,” he said, turning to Stacia.

She stood naked, due to the shift, and it took everything he had to keep his eyes focused on her face. The wind was gently blowing her hair around her face. The moonlight was shining down on her, as if creating a perfect painting of a beautiful siren at night in the middle of the woods. Just looking at her took his breath away.

“How is your wound?” she asked, stepping close to him.

“Like new,” he replied, holding in his breath as she reached for him. Her fingers danced softly across his abdomen, just where the bullet had entered. He closed his eyes for a brief second, basking in the feel of her warm hands on his bare skin.

“Not even a scar,” she murmured, her eyes meeting his. “Izek—”

“Not now.” He grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. They needed to talk, but now was not the time. Chief Wapti had made arrangements for them to stay in a cabin, safe on the Blackfeet lands until morning. The Blackfeet would provide them protection tonight.

By the morning, his unit would be making their way to the cabin he rescued her from. Intel had come in on the robbers. They worked for crime boss, Saladino “Dino” Vanello, who was currently under surveillance by local authorities, FBI, ATF and the DEA. It was speculated that Dino Vanello had his hands in everything, including selling shifters on the black market.

“Let’s get dressed and to safety,” he said, pulling her along behind him. He went to the driver’s door and entered the code for the keyless entry to the truck, unlocking it. Without releasing her hand, he moved to open the back door and pulled out the duffle bag he’d left on the back seat.

His bear was unhappy that he had to let her hand go so that they could get dressed, but he had no choice.

“Where are we?” Stacia asked quietly from the passenger seat. They had drove in silence for about thirty minutes before the sound of her voice broke the silence.

“We’re in Blackfeet Country,” he said. Her scent was driving his bear wild. His cock was thick and full with need, and he needed a release soon. Her thick, curvy body was just what his bear needed. He’d never been into skinny women. He was a large man, and he needed a woman who had curves to fill his big hands.

“Their chief is a friend of my brother’s,” she said as he made the turn on the reservation where they would be staying.

“Your brother called him to inform him of what was going on. His men will make sure that nothing goes down until my men can get here. We’ll be fine until morning.”

“We’re staying here tonight?” she asked with a slight catch in her voice. “Alone?”

He parked the truck in the driveway of the guesthouse and turned to her. Her disheveled hair, dark eyes, and plump lips caused his mouth to go dry. He cleared his throat before he answered her.

“Will that be a problem?”