Fern’s scent carried down from town again, and his bear rumbled before dropping off the final fish and lumbering south toward the house. It only took a second for Elliott to realize his animal had no intention of returning home. The fucker was taking them toward the village.
“Ah! Stop. Shift back. Come on, we need to make dinner.”
His bear snorted, stood on his hind legs, and scented her again.
“Trout. Come on, dude. Let’s cook now, and you can sniff around all you want tomorrow.”
The grizzly huffed and puffed before shifting back eventually—and abruptly—Elliott’s consciousness flinging to the forefront as he reformed naked in the woods behind his studio.
Goodgod,his bear was being difficult. Was he really so horny the animal didn’t trust him to take back over? He’d have to be careful next time he shifted.
Luckily, their town’s short tourist season was starting in three weeks, and with it would come at least one single bridesmaid looking for a quick fling. That had to help break the potential bond.
Most of the human visitors to Beckett Falls were wedding parties and guests withmanysingles looking to mingle. Chuckling to himself, Elliott carried his catch inside, thinking of the mildly annoying wedding season ahead.
The whole town was in on the scheme, opening up just two months per year when the trees were at their most colorful to host high-end weddings at Adam’s exclusive Lodge. They all made a killing that carried them through those ten peaceful months between seasons. He worked alongside Noa most often, throwing vases for her floral arrangements and sculpting other wedding decor. The visitorsloveda good artisan-made souvenir.
With his music blaring and his trout rinsed and waiting, Elliott snagged his phone from the living room and fired off a text to his alphas. It would’ve been rudenotto check in.
Elliott
Did the yapper make it up to town?
Beck
Yup
Okay, okay, that was good. His foot tapped faster than the beat of the song as he took a knife to his fish. Elliott got their heads off before snatching up his phone again.
Elliott
And she got dinner, right?
Liv
Why? Are you planning to cook for her?
Beck
Is this an offer for all of us?
Liv
She’d probably be into it
Elliott
No. I was just asking
Liv
Your loss
Beck
Your loss
Elliott
