Page 1 of Grumpy Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #4)

Chapter

One

Grizzly shifter Ivy Bright arrived at the Bright Institute an hour before anyone else, eager to get ahead on her work. She hummed while arranging soil samples in neat rows, her fingers applying labels with careful handwriting.

Ivy tucked a stray curl behind her ear, her bright yellow blouse matching her sunny smile. As the daughter of Corey Bright, founder of the shifter school and research facility, she always felt pressure to prove herself.

She checked the soil incubator temperature before moving to her workstation. In the quiet lab, Ivy’s smile faded. Her shoulders slumped as tiredness washed over her. She rubbed her temples, fighting a headache from too many late nights.

“Keep it together, Ivy,” she whispered. “Everyone’s counting on you.”

Her thoughts drifted to her previous project and the hurt that lingered six months later. Dr. Philip Wells had published her research with his name as lead author. Her father’s gentle “I warned you about sharing too freely” had stung worse than any scolding.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Ivy straightened up, her smile returning as naturally as flipping a switch. By the time the door opened, she was humming as if she hadn’t just been fighting exhaustion.

“Morning, everyone,” she called cheerfully as three researchers entered, chatting about weekend plans.

“Dr. Bright, you’re here early again,” said Bridget, the newest intern in the lab, dropping her bag on a nearby stool.

“I love mornings,” Ivy replied with a light laugh. “Besides, these soil samples won’t test themselves.”

Inside, her mind juggled a dozen priorities, the weight pressing against her chest. Yet no one would ever know.

That was the Ivy Bright method. Sunshine outside, no matter the storms within.

Moments later, Bridget approached, holding a soil testing kit.

“Dr. Bright? I’m having trouble with this equipment. ”

“It’s just Ivy, please,” she corrected gently. “And it’s no problem. These monitors can be tricky at first.”

She spent fifteen minutes showing Bridget the procedure, explaining each step patiently. When the intern finally got it right, Ivy beamed with real pleasure at the young woman’s success.

“See? You’ve got this. You’ll be running these tests in your sleep before long.”

The lab buzzed with activity as everyone settled into their morning work. Ivy checked her watch and gathered her presentation materials, butterflies in her stomach despite her confident face. The nature center meeting would decide if her vision moved forward or faced more questions from the board.

Ivy walked through the institute’s hallways, greeting each person by name.

The building’s design reflected a mixture of traditional shifter values and modern science.

Wooden beams met glass walls, with sunlight filling every workspace.

Plants grew in every corner, making the facility feel like part of the forest.

“Morning, Dr. Peterson. How’s that arthritis treatment going?”

“Hi there, Amber. Did your daughter get into that summer program?”

With each chat, Ivy built the connections that made the institute feel like a family rather than just a workplace.

Her knack for remembering personal details about everyone was well-known, though few knew how hard she worked at it, keeping notes on conversations to make sure she never forgot something important to a colleague.

As she neared the conference room, her nervous energy changed to excitement. This meeting was the result of two years of planning and proposals. The nature center would teach both shifters and humans, furthering her father’s dream.

Ivy paused at the door, took a deep breath, and walked in smiling. The room went quiet, a dozen pairs of eyes watching her move to the front. Board members sat with looks ranging from friendly to doubtful. Architects flipped through early designs. Environmental planners studied reports.

“Good morning, everyone,” Ivy began, her voice warm but sure. “Thank you all for coming to this presentation. I’m excited to share our progress on the Fate Mountain Nature Center.”

She started her presentation with enthusiasm, smoothly showing slides that highlighted the project’s potential. The center would feature hands-on exhibits about local wildlife, forest care, and mountain ecosystems.

“As you can see from these numbers,” Ivy continued, pointing to a graph showing expected visitors, “we expect to welcome over fifteen thousand guests each year within the first three years. That means fifteen thousand people learning about conservation directly from those who understand it best.”

She noticed several board members who had arrived with crossed arms now leaning forward with interest. Dr. Yamamoto, usually hard to impress, was nodding along with her points.

“And now, I’d like to introduce Ronald Vance, the contractor who will oversee construction if we get final approval today.”

A tall man with broad shoulders and a confident smile stood up. Ronald Vance looked professional in his tailored suit, yet his rough hands showed someone familiar with physical work. He moved beside Ivy.

“Thank you, Dr. Bright,” he said, his deep voice carrying easily. “I’m excited to show you the building methods we’ll use for this project.”

Vance clicked to the next slide, showing animated pictures of the construction process. His presentation built perfectly on Ivy’s, explaining how reused timber, stone, and new insulation materials would make the nature center a model of green construction.

“The living roof system will not only keep the building well-insulated,” Vance explained, “but also serve as a teaching tool, showing how buildings can actually help their surroundings.”

Ivy found herself truly impressed. She had checked Vance’s company carefully, but seeing his presentation firsthand confirmed she’d made the right choice. They fell into a natural rhythm, with Ivy explaining teaching aspects while Vance addressed building details.

“The observation deck will provide visitors with...” Vance began.

“...a clear view of the wildlife corridor,” Ivy finished, “which increases the chances of seeing native animals in their natural home.”

Board members exchanged approving looks at their teamwork. The doubt at the start of the meeting was melting away.

The presentation was almost done when the conference room door opened.

Architecture instructor and hawk shifter, Lisa Mercer, walked in, her sleek designer outfit and perfectly styled hair making Ivy’s simple blouse and twin puff ponytails seem suddenly childish.

Lisa had been expected to lead the nature center project until Ivy’s proposal had surprisingly won the board’s approval.

“Sorry I’m late,” Lisa said, though her tone suggested she wasn’t sorry at all.

She sat in an empty seat, her eyes scanning the presentation materials. Ivy kept her smile, refusing to let Lisa’s arrival disrupt the good mood they’d created.

“As I was saying,” Ivy continued smoothly, “the timeline allows for a grand opening in about eight weeks, with early sight surveys already started.”

“Eight weeks seems too quick for a project this big,” Lisa cut in, her voice carrying fake concern. “Especially under... inexperienced leadership.”

The slight emphasis on “inexperienced” sent a ripple of tension through the room. Ivy felt the familiar sting but kept her face neutral. She’d expected resistance from Lisa, who had made no secret of her disappointment at losing the project lead position.

“We’ve built extra time into the schedule,” Ivy responded pleasantly. “Ronald’s team has a great record for finishing projects on time, and we’ve already gotten all necessary permits.”

Lisa’s perfectly shaped eyebrow raised slightly.

“I’d recommend checking the foundations thoroughly before going ahead.

That particular site has... historical issues.

” With that mysterious warning, she stood up and gathered her things.

“I have another meeting. I just wanted to check in on our institute’s newest venture. ”

The mood in the room shifted uncomfortably as Lisa left. Ivy could see uncertainty creeping back into some board members’ expressions. She had worked too hard to let one negative comment ruin everything.

“Speaking of foundations,” she pivoted cheerfully, “Ronald and I have prepared multiple soil samples showing the excellent stability of the chosen building site. And while Lisa raises a good point about thorough preparation, I have already prepared the results of our three separate ground surveys.”

Her redirect worked. The meeting ended with the board voting unanimously to proceed with construction according to the proposed timeline. As people filed out, several stopped to congratulate Ivy on a compelling presentation.

Eric Robins from the environmental impact team approached next, his tall frame and wavy blond hair making him stand out among the board members. He held a thick folder of reports against his chest.

“Spectacular presentation, Dr. Bright,” he said, his blue eyes lingering on her face longer than necessary. “Your passion for conservation education shines through everything you do.”

“Thank you, Eric,” Ivy replied. “Your preliminary environmental assessments made our case so much stronger.”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I was wondering if you might want to discuss the water conservation aspects over dinner sometime? There are some innovative approaches I’d like to share with you.”

Ivy smiled politely but took a half-step back. “We should definitely review those with the whole team. I’ll set up a meeting next week.”

Eric’s smile dimmed slightly, but he recovered quickly. “Of course. Whatever works best for the project.” He lingered a moment too long before heading toward the door.

“You handled that situation with impressive grace,” Ronald said quietly as they gathered their materials. “And with Lisa. Mercer doesn’t strike me as someone who gives up easily.”

“Lisa is brilliant and dedicated to the institute,” Ivy replied diplomatically. “We just have different visions sometimes.”

Ronald nodded, respect evident in his expression. “Well, I look forward to working with you, Dr. Bright. If the rest of this project goes as smoothly as today’s presentation, we’ll have something truly special to share with the community.”

After finalizing a few construction details with Ronald, Ivy returned to her office, still riding high from the successful meeting.

Her space reflected her personality. Potted plants thrived on every surface, many of them rare specimens she’d grown herself.

Family photos showed the Bright clan in various settings.

Awards and diplomas lined one wall, showing her scientific achievements.

She sat in her chair and started her video call system. Her father’s face appeared on screen moments later, his gray-streaked hair and kind eyes as familiar as her own reflection.

“There’s my girl,” Corey Bright said warmly. “How did the board meeting go?”

“They approved everything, Dad,” Ivy replied, unable to contain her excitement. “Full funding, complete design approval, and the timeline stays intact. We’re really going to make this happen.”

“Never doubted you for a minute, sweetheart. This nature center is exactly what Fate Mountain needs.”

Ivy launched into an excited description of her vision for the hands-on exhibits, her hands moving expressively as she outlined plans for wildlife tracking demonstrations and forest displays.

“The children’s area will have stations where kids can touch different animal tracks cast in resin, and smell scent markers similar to what predators leave in the wild.”

Corey listened attentively, his pride obvious. Then his expression shifted, concern creasing his brow. “You look tired, Ivy. Those are some impressive shadows under your eyes.”

“Just busy,” she dismissed with a wave of her hand. “There’s so much happening right now.”

“You know, the institute has dozens of qualified researchers. Letting others help is an important leadership skill.”

Ivy laughed. “I’m letting plenty of people help. You should see the construction team Ronald and I put together.”

Corey’s expression remained thoughtful. “Just remember that not everyone shares your work ethic or attention to detail. Trust but verify, especially with building projects.”

“Dad, stop worrying. We’ve got eight weeks until the grand opening, and everything is on track.”

Her father’s concern wasn’t completely off-base. The quick timeline would require careful coordination from all parties involved. But Ivy had spent months planning for every possible problem. She was determined to prove she could handle a project this big.

They chatted a while longer before ending the call, promising to meet for dinner later in the week.

Ivy turned to the stack of reports needing her attention.

The afternoon slipped into evening without Ivy noticing the changing light.

When she finally looked up, darkness had fallen outside her window.

Ivy glanced at the clock, surprised to find it was nearly nine in the evening.

A sandwich wrapper on her desk showed she’d eaten dinner at some point, though she barely remembered it.

Instead of packing up and going home right away, Ivy found herself opening her laptop and clicking over to mate.com.

She scrolled through user profiles, trying to ignore the disappointment that crept in with each less than perfect match.

With a sigh of frustration, she closed her laptop, fighting the doubt that crept into her thoughts.

She turned her chair to face the window, gazing up at the stars.

The vastness of the night sky always helped her regain perspective.

Her fated mate was out there somewhere. He had to be.