Page 7 of Bear Love’s Hidden Destiny (Esoterra Shifters World #3)

Chapter Seven

Isabella

The growling from outside the hollow sent a shiver down my spine, but it was Benedict’s reaction that made my stomach twist. His body went rigid, his eyes snapping to the tunnel’s entrance, hands clenching into fists.

He was anxious, more than I’d ever seen, and it set my nerves on edge.

The air felt heavy, charged with something dangerous, and the low rumble from the forest wasn’t just a sound, it was a threat.

Benedict turned to me, his face hard, his voice low and urgent. “Stay here, okay?”

I grabbed his arm, my heart racing. “Benedict, what’s out there?”

“Just stay,” he said, his eyes locking on mine, pleading. “Please.”

I nodded, but before he could move, I pulled him close and kissed him, hard and quick, my hands framing his face. “Be careful, please,” I said, my voice shaking. “I don’t want you gone.”

He gave a tight nod, his hand brushing my cheek for a second before he turned and stepped out of the hollow.

I moved to the entrance, peering through the vines, my breath catching as I watched him.

He stood in the clearing, his back to me, and then his body began to change.

It was raw, visceral, nothing like the myths I’d read.

His muscles stretched and folded, dark fur sprouting across his skin, bones cracking and reforming with a sound that made my stomach lurch.

In seconds, a massive black bear stood where Benedict had been, its shoulders broad, eyes glowing in the moonlight.

My breath stopped. The vision from the tablet, the shifters fleeing the fire, it all slammed into me.

This was real. He was a shifter, and everything he’d been hiding was now undeniable, standing there in fur and claws.

I backed up a step, my hand gripping the journal, but fear didn’t come.

Instead, I felt wonder, understanding. The truth I’d been chasing, the pull in my chest since Fir Hollow, it was all coming together.

Benedict, the man who saved me, who made my body hum with life, was something ancient, tied to this forest in ways I was only beginning to grasp. And he wasn’t alone.

Three figures emerged from the trees, their movements sharp and predatory.

The one in the lead, a tall man with a shaved head and a scar across his jaw, stepped forward, his eyes glinting with malice.

Another was already shifting, his body twisting into a lean, gray wolf, its hackles raised, teeth bared.

The third, smaller, with twitchy movements and a blade in his hand, hung back, his gaze darting between Benedict and the hollow.

Something about them felt wrong, dark, like their presence poisoned the air.

“Hand her over, Avila,” the scarred man said, his voice cold. “She doesn’t belong here.”

Benedict’s bear growled, a low rumble that shook the ground. “She’s under my protection,” he said, his voice distorted but clear, vibrating through his massive form. “Walk away.”

The scarred man laughed, sharp and bitter. “Your protection? Her blood threatens the balance. The Council wants her dealt with before the old magic spreads. You know what that means.”

My heart pounded, my grip tightening on the journal. These weren’t scouts, they were enforcers, or worse, sent to hunt me down. The wolf snarled, crouching low, and the twitchy man raised his blade, his voice high and tense. “Don’t make this harder, Avila. Give us the girl, or we take her.”

Benedict didn’t answer with words. His bear lunged, a blur of muscle and fur, slamming into the wolf with a force that sent it skidding across the clearing.

The wolf yelped, twisting to snap at Benedict’s flank, but he was faster, his claws raking down its side, drawing blood.

The scarred man charged, a knife flashing in his hand, aiming for Benedict’s shoulder.

Benedict roared, swatting him with a massive paw, sending him crashing into a tree with a sickening crack.

The tree shuddered, needles raining down, but the man was already scrambling to his feet, his face twisted with rage.

The twitchy man darted in, his blade slicing toward Benedict’s side.

I gasped, pressing myself against the hollow’s wall, my eyes locked on the fight.

Benedict spun, his jaws snapping, catching the man’s arm.

The blade fell, and the man screamed, stumbling back, clutching his wrist. The wolf recovered, leaping onto Benedict’s back, its teeth sinking into his shoulder.

Blood sprayed, dark against his fur, and I bit my lip to keep from shouting.

Benedict shook the wolf off, his massive head swinging to slam into it, knocking it to the ground.

He didn’t let up, his claws tearing into the wolf’s side, pinning it as it thrashed and snarled.

The scarred man was back on his feet, circling Benedict, his knife glinting as he looked for an opening.

“You’re making a mistake,” he spat, lunging forward.

Benedict dodged, his bear form surprisingly agile, and caught the man’s leg in his jaws, yanking him off balance.

The man hit the ground hard, his knife skittering across the dirt.

Benedict roared, standing over him, but the twitchy man was already running, vanishing into the shadows of the trees.

The wolf whimpered, struggling to stand, then collapsed, its chest heaving.

The scarred man groaned, trying to crawl away, but Benedict’s paw pressed down on his back, holding him in place.

The clearing fell silent, save for the heavy panting of the bear.

I held my breath, my hands shaking as I clutched the journal.

Benedict’s bear stood over the fallen enforcers, blood dripping from his shoulder, his side.

Then he shifted back, his body rippling, fur giving way to skin, until he was human again, naked and trembling from the effort.

Blood streaked his arm, his chest, and a deep gash ran across his ribs.

He staggered slightly, catching himself against a tree, his breath ragged.

I ran to him without thinking, dropping the journal to steady him, my hands on his arms. “Benedict, are you okay?” I asked, my voice shaking as I looked him over.

Blood was smeared across his shoulder, his chest, and the gash on his ribs looked bad, the skin torn and red.

I pressed my hands to his chest, checking for more wounds, my fingers moving over his arms, his sides, my heart racing.

“You’re hurt, you’re bleeding everywhere. ”

“I’m fine,” he said, his voice strained, but he was standing, his eyes meeting mine. “You hurt?”

“No,” I said, my hands still searching his body, finding another cut on his forearm, a bruise forming on his back. “You are so brave but I don’t like it, you are putting yourself in danger.” My voice cracked, and I glared at him, my hands trembling as I pressed them to his chest.

He laughed, a low, rough sound that caught me off guard. “Danger’s part of the job, Isabella. I’m okay, really.”

“You call this okay?” I said, gesturing to the blood on his skin. “You could’ve died out there.”

“Take more than that to kill me,” he said, his grin fading as he saw the worry in my eyes. He reached for my hand, squeezing it. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

I shook my head, my throat tight, but I didn’t pull away. His eyes held mine, and I saw regret there, heavy and raw. “You know now,” he said softly. “Everything.”

I nodded, my heart still pounding. “Yeah. You’re a shifter. Like in my vision. Like the ones my grandfather knew.”

He looked away, his jaw tight. “I didn’t want you to see it like this.”

“But I did,” I said, stepping closer. “And I’m still here.”

He didn’t say anything, just looked at me, his eyes searching. I could see the weight of it all, the secrets, the fight, the bond between us. I leaned in close, pressing my forehead to his, my hands still on his arms. “What else are you hiding from me?” I whispered.

He closed his eyes, his breath warm against my face, but he gave no answer.