Beast Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #2)

Chapter

Forty-Seven

Serena stood rooted in place, barely breathing, as the police and Poppy hovered around Theo’s phone. The incriminating video played on the small screen, and there was no doubt it showed Kai admitting to tampering with the ropes. The officers exchanged tense looks, then moved in to corner the culprit.

Kai, sensing the net closing around him, tried to slip away. He edged toward the parking lot exit, avoiding eye contact. But the police were too quick. They closed ranks, and one officer clamped a firm hand on his shoulder.

Serena took a shaky step forward, her voice trembling with raw emotion. “Who are you working for?” she demanded, eyes blazing with anger.

Kai offered no answer, only a smug glance that made her skin crawl. The tension built, crackling through the crowd, until the officers finally forced Kai’s arms behind his back and snapped on the cuffs.

Across from them, Poppy still held Theo’s phone, her expression a mix of shock and regret. Serena’s throat tightened with unshed tears as she turned on the administrator. “Are you satisfied?” she asked, her voice wavering between fury and heartbreak.

Poppy’s gaze dropped to the ground. “I was wrong,” she said softly, shame clear in her tone. It was an admission that struck Serena like a physical blow. She wanted to rail at Poppy, but that wasn’t what she needed. Theo was gone, chased by his own anger and grief.

She spun away from the parking lot, not caring about the startled looks from staff or the police. Her heart hammered as she raced in the direction she had seen him run. Every stride felt more desperate, tears burning her eyes. When she reached the edge of the forest, she tore off her clothes mid-sprint, her cougar pushing forward in a rush.

Fur prickled across her skin as her bones shifted with a surge of raw power. In seconds, she galloped through the trees on all fours, nose to the ground, inhaling Theo’s musky scent. Adrenaline spiked with every leap, and she sensed his presence somewhere ahead, deeper in the darkening woods. Twigs snapped beneath her paws, and leaves brushed her flanks.

She spotted him as night fell. His massive bear moved wildly through the undergrowth. Serena circled around, her heart thudding as she tried to get in front of him. She needed to make him see reason, see her.

When she finally found a narrow clearing, she slipped in front of him and shifted back to human form, trembling and naked in the moonlight. Her voice shook as she spoke. “Theo, please,” she said, holding her arms out in a gesture of surrender. “Remember who you are.”

The bear’s lumbering steps slowed. His furious eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, Serena feared he would charge right past her. Then she saw recognition flicker within those golden depths. She drew a trembling breath. “Nothing Kai said was true. You’re a hero. My hero. I want you as my mate, forever.”

Her words seemed to cut through his haze of anger and grief. His powerful body began to ripple, fur receding into skin. Bones popped and re-formed, and with a final shuddering breath, Theo stood in front of her, naked and trembling. The night air felt charged with the intensity of the moment. She saw the torment in his eyes, but also the raw desire. He stared at her for a heartbeat, then crossed the clearing in two strides.