“Clear the area!” the Sheriff yells to the cops who are running around, trying to find my grizzly.
That’s when I see her.
My mate.
She’s perfect. I can’t breathe as I stare at her across the square.
Emotions I haven’t felt in decades, and some I’ve never felt in my life, flood into my soul, filling me until I feel like I might burst. My eyes water as I stare at her in awe. She’s standing near the news van, cheeks flushed from adrenaline, hair a little wild, facing the camera and speaking into the microphone like a total pro.
She says something final and then smiles. The light over the camera turns off and the woman holding it lowers it off her shoulder.
What am I supposed to do? Go over there?Talkto her? Throw her over my shoulder and take her back to my cabin?
I never thought I’d ever want a mate, so I never bothered to plan or prepare for the moment when I saw her. I thought if that moment ever did come, I’d just roll my eyes and keep going, choosing my solitude over her.
But now…
Looking at her… Looking at that angel…
How could I ever choose anything but her?
She’s all I want. All I’ll ever want.
I sigh as I look around at the mess. She’s not going to want me. I ruined the whole night for everyone. I tried to cancel Christmas.
I step back as the mayor and Sheriff come hurrying past me.
“We need to get a boom crane out here,” the mayor says. “Quickly.”
The Sheriff nods. “It’s going to take a few hours, the guy is…”
I don’t hear the rest of what they say as they hurry along.
I look at my girl looking disappointed as she surveys the mess and then I turn to the fallen tree. I squeeze my hands into fists and narrow my eyes in determination.
I’ll fix this. Forher.
I march over to the massive tree, step under it and position the thick trunk on my shoulder. With a fierce grunt, I start lifting and pushing, giving it everything I got.
It doesn’t move. I grit my teeth and push harder, every muscle in my body flexed to the max.
I think of my mate and use that as motivation. I want to see her smiling. I want to see her eyes light up as she looks up at the tree. I want to fix this for her.
I let out a fierce grunt as it starts moving. I push and push, my veins ready to pop, my muscles ready to tear. But I don’t stop. I take a small step as it starts to rise. Another. Another.
“Secure it!” I hear one of the cops holler. “Secure the base!”
Cops rush around me, but I can’t focus on that. Every last bit of my energy is being used to push this heavy bastard up.
It gets lighter as it gets straighter and finally, the momentum shifts and it falls into place. I grab a branch to keep it from falling in the other direction.
The cops race to the bottom, securing the trunk as I hold the tree up, my body aching, my lungs heaving in deep breaths.
I can feel my inner bear glowing with pride. He thinks there’s hope for me yet.
I just want to please my girl.
“We got it!” one of the officers says and everyone cheers.
