Mitchell’s Untamed Mate E-Book

S.E. Smith

• Herausgeber: Montana Publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Survival will unite two species that were once enemies…

Tracy Bearclaw, an anthropologist dedicated to studying the extinct human race, has explored the harshest and most remote locations on Earth. Her world is turned upside down when her brother discovers an injured human right in their backyard. Driven by her passion for humanity, Tracy ventures into the wilds of Olympic National Park in search of a reclusive human clan.

Mitchell grew up hearing tales of the brutal Great War between shifters and humans. As the leader of his clan, he must bury his personal feelings; their survival depends on him—and on staying hidden. His resolve to put his clan first is tested when he meets Tracy Bearclaw, a tenacious bear-shifter.

Forced into an uneasy alliance with Tracy, Mitchell faces a crucial decision that could either doom the last remnants of humanity or save them. It doesn’t help that Tracy has ignited feelings within Mitchell that he never thought possible—love for a shifter.

Can these former enemies find a love strong enough to bridge their differences, or will the greed of a deadly adversary shatter their fragile trust and destroy the last of the humans once and for all?

A USA Today and NY Times bestselling author, the internationally acclaimed S.E. Smith presents a story with her signature humor and unpredictable twists! Exciting adventure, hot romance, and iconic characters have won her a legion of fans. Over TWO MILLION books sold!

Leseprobe

MITCHELL’S UNTAMED MATE

MORE THAN HUMAN BOOK 2

S.E. SMITH

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my husband, Steve, for believing in me and being proud enough of me to give me the courage to follow my dream. I would also like to give a special thank you to my sister and best friend, Linda, who not only encouraged me to write, but who also read the manuscript. Also, to my other friends who believe in me: Julie, Jackie, Christel, Sally, Jolanda, Lisa, Laurelle, Debbie, and Narelle. The girls that keep me going!

And a special thanks to Paul Heitsch, David Brenin, Samantha Cook, Suzanne Elise Freeman, PJ Ochlan, Vincent Fallow, L. Sophie Helbig, and Hope Newhouse, Allison River, Jonathan Strait, and Bethanne Reid—the outstanding voices behind my audiobooks!

– S. E. Smith

Mitchell’s Untamed Mate: More than Human Book 2

Copyright © 2024 by Susan E. Smith

First E-Book Published September 2024

Cover Design by Melody Simmons and Laurelle Santamaria

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author. No parts of the author’s work may be used for AI training without express written permission from the author.

All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations are strictly coincidental.

Summary: When a shape-shifting anthropologist discovers that humans still exist, she is determined to find and protect them at all costs—especially their charismatic leader, who has captivated both her and her inner bear.

ISBN: 9781963823325 (Paperback)

ISBN: 9781963823318 (eBook)

ISBN: 9781959584612 (Hardback)

Romance (love, explicit sexual content) | Fantasy | Paranormal (Shifters) | Action/Adventure | Contemporary

Published by Montana Publishing, LLC

& SE Smith of Florida Inc. www.sesmithfl.com

SYNOPSIS

Survival will unite two species that were once enemies…

Tracy Bearclaw, an anthropologist dedicated to studying the extinct human race, has explored the harshest and most remote locations on Earth. Her world is turned upside down when her brother discovers an injured human right in their backyard. Driven by her passion for humanity, Tracy ventures into the wilds of Olympic National Park in search of a reclusive human clan.

Mitchell grew up hearing tales of the brutal Great War between shifters and humans. As the leader of his clan, he must bury his personal feelings; their survival depends on him—and on staying hidden. His resolve to put his clan first is tested when he meets Tracy Bearclaw, a tenacious bear-shifter.

Forced into an uneasy alliance with Tracy, Mitchell faces a crucial decision that could either doom the last remnants of humanity or save them. It doesn’t help that Tracy has ignited feelings within Mitchell that he never thought possible—love for a shifter.

Can these former enemies find a love strong enough to bridge their differences, or will the greed of a deadly adversary shatter their fragile trust and destroy the last of the humans once and for all?

PROLOGUE

Two decades prior:

The Bearclaw Estate: Outside of Bremerton, Washington State

United Species of North America

“Tracy, love, are you in here? It’s time for dinner.”

Tracy frantically wiped at her damp cheeks and rubbed the sleeve of her shirt against her nose. She pushed the book she had taken from the family library under the woodland-scene throw pillow on the couch. She sat up when her father entered the third-floor sitting room where she liked to go when she wanted to be alone.

Art Bearclaw stood in the doorway and shook his head when he noticed her tear-stained cheeks and red, puffy eyes. Tracy hiccupped and wiped at her cheeks again. Her father motioned with his hand to make room on the couch, and she scooted over. No sooner had he sat down than he opened his arms wide. She crawled onto his lap and snuggled against his warm body, breathing in his familiar, comforting aftershave.

“Why, Daddy? Why were we so mean to them?” she hiccupped before she buried her face against his chest as sobs choked her.

“Aw, love. You shouldn’t be reading about things like the Great War just yet,” he gently admonished while he stroked her coarse auburn hair in comfort.

“I’m a big girl. You didn’t answer me. Why were we so mean to them?”

She sniffed and rubbed her nose again. Tilting her head back, she stared into her father’s warm, compassionate brown eyes. If anyone knew the answer to her question, it would be her father. Her dad was the Director of the Anthropology and Archaeology Department for the Washington State Animal Sanctuary, Research, and Observation Center. He was the youngest director ever assigned to the prestigious position and was the smartest shifter in the whole wide world in her seven-year-old opinion.

“Sometimes shifters make poor decisions,” he said.

“But-but, we killed them. We killed all of them!” she wailed, burying her face against his chest again.

Her father released a long sigh and continued stroking her hair and back until she calmed down for a second time. He leaned back into the cushion and cupped her chin. She reluctantly looked up at him with watery eyes.

She sniffed when she noticed the expression of resignation on his face. She hoped that didn’t mean he was going to lock the library again, though it wouldn’t matter if he did. She would just get Ty to open it. Her twin could unlock anything.

“I know, love. That is why it is important we learn everything we can about humans, so they are never forgotten—nor are our mistakes. Now, let’s get you cleaned up. If your mother and Martha see you like this, they’ll blame me for telling you more horror stories about humans and not let me have any of Martha’s delicious dessert tonight,” he teased.

She sniffed and nodded. “What did she make tonight?”

“Bear-berry pie with sweet cream.”

“Oh, I love Bear-berry pie. She only makes that for special occasions,” Tracy breathed.

“I know. Your Aunt Michaela is coming for dinner,” he replied with twinkling eyes.

“Auntie Michaela! Yay!”

Art rose from the couch with Tracy still in his arms. His slender frame was deceptive. He possessed incredible strength as a silverback grizzly shifter. She wound her arms around his neck, rested her chin on his shoulder, and looked back at the book peeking out from under the pillow. She would come back after dinner to finish reading the chapter about what happened to the few remaining humans after the Great War with the shifters.

“Daddy,” she murmured.

“Yes, love.”

“I wish I could have met a human,” she said.

“Me too, sweetheart. Me too.”

Deep in the Cascade Range, Pacific Northwest

“Come on, Mitchell. I don’t want to miss the story,” Jace urged.

“Go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute. I’ve got to finish doing my chores,” he said.

Jace groaned. “I’ll tell you if you miss anything.”

“Okay. I’m almost done.”

Mitchell hurriedly finished tying the bundle of pelts together with the woven plant-fiber rope his mother had made. He almost had enough pelts for his mother to make him a new winter coat. He would need it. The one from last year would soon be too small at the rate he was growing.

He was having to venture farther away from the village to hunt for the rabbits he was snaring. He always said a prayer of thanks to the poor animals who gave their lives in exchange for his needs. Life was precious, fragile, and uncertain. This past winter and spring, he had first lost his grandfather and then his grandmother. The clan keenly felt the loss of the two elders. His mother was still deeply mourning them.

He finished tying off the pelts and placed them in a woven basket in the corner of his parents' hut, then rose and hurried to the arched opening. Most of his clan still built their homes high in the trees. He navigated barefoot along the stripped branches he had helped his father prepare and grabbed the knotted rope hanging from a sturdy branch above.

He easily climbed down, jumping the last two feet to the soft ground. Releasing the rope, he ran along a narrow trail until he came to the Circle of Life, the center of his village. This is where the elders gathered to tell tales, usually tales of long ago, when humans co-existed with the shifters. The Before always excited him, but it was the After that concerned him the most.

He slipped into the space on the log that Jace had saved for him. Cyrus, Jayden’s grandfather, was speaking. Jace flashed him a grin.

“What did I miss?” he whispered.

Jace looked around before he answered. “Nothing. He was telling everyone what needs to be done before the winter snows begin again.”

“Shush.”

Jace made a face at his older sister who shot the both of them a disapproving glare. Janna was fifteen and had always been bossy. Mitchell and Jace’s mission in life was to drive Janna as crazy as possible—whenever their parents weren’t around. He tucked his hands under his legs to keep from swinging them and leaned forward when Cyrus began the oral history. His eyes lit up with delight when he realized that Cyrus was starting at the very beginning—when humans and shifters first appeared on this planet.

“In the beginning, this world was created by two entities: the Gods, who wanted to create only humans, and the Goddesses, who wanted to populate this world with only animals.”

“Why?” Jayden asked.

Mitchell scowled at the interruption. Four-year-old Jayden was always asking why. Why couldn’t she go hunting? Why did her family live in a tree while Ella lived on the ground? Why were shifters dangerous?

Cyrus smiled at Jayden. “The Gods wanted a creature who could control this world much as they did, which meant that humans would be the master of all animals. The Goddesses were not happy with that. They believed that humans and animals should coexist as equals on this world. They believed this was the way of the universe. A place where all living beings lived as one.”

“Why?” Jayden called out again.

A low chorus of groans followed Jayden’s question, followed by quiet admonishments from parents and grandparents. Cyrus waited until everyone settled down before he continued. Mitchell untucked his hands and rubbed them. Cyrus was getting to the good part.

“The Gods proposed a compromise. They would create humans while the Goddesses created the shifters—creatures who were half-human/half-animal, but—” Cyrus paused. He pointed a finger at his eager audience before he continued, “…there was a stipulation. Neither the Gods nor the Goddesses could interfere.”

“I like animals,” four-year-old Ella interrupted.

Low laughter moved like a wave through the gathering when she held up a tiny mouse. Ella’s father hushed her, and Ella cradled the mouse against her chest. Jace nudged him in the side and leaned over.

“I’d like to put that mouse in Janna’s bed,” Jace murmured.

“I heard that,” Janna retorted, reaching out to slap her brother on the back of the head.

Jace ducked and grinned when his father issued a short, stern admonishment to his sister. Mitchell gave his friend a warning shake of his head when Janna mouthed what she would do later. Jace ignored him and stuck his tongue out at his sister in response.

“What’s a stip-stip-stippylation?” Jayden asked.

“It was decided that whoever was the strongest creation would rule this world. At first, the two species lived in harmony. Because there were many types of shifters, they often fought amongst themselves. The humans, witnessing this, banded together. We grew stronger, and our population grew. In time, the shifters resented our need for more land to feed our children. The animals in them took over, and they began attacking our villages. The food humans were growing was stolen. Minor battles escalated into larger ones until it became the Great War between humans and shifters.”

“It lasted a long time. We fought them good,” Connell called out.

Cyrus bowed his head in agreement. “Yes, humans fought long and hard. Millions of us were lost under the sharp claws and fangs of the shifters.”

“But… we lost,” Janna whispered.

Cyrus shook his head. “We still exist. As long as we exist, we have not lost.”

Mitchell groaned when a droplet of water struck his forehead. The group quickly scattered when the sprinkles turned into a drenching rain. Everyone ran to their homes, seeking shelter from the cold. Mitchell ran beside Jace. Jace’s family had built their home on the forest floor this time.

He slipped inside and collapsed beside Jace on the pallet of fur-covered moss. They often slept in each other’s homes. Jace pushed against him, and he rolled to the back, telling his friend, “You smell like a wet dog.”

Jace chuckled. “I was petting Janna earlier.”

Mitchell ducked when Janna threw her brush at her brother. Jace caught the brush and ran it through his hair with a mocking flourish before he threw it back. Janna made a face and tossed the brush aside.

“She’s going to put a scorpion in your bed if you aren’t careful,” he warned.

“She’s already done that. Mom was furious. She made Janna wash all the linens for a month. Janna said it was worth it.”

Jace fell onto his back. Mitchell did the same, putting his hands under his head to act as a pillow. They were both quiet as they listened to the rain.

“Do you think shifters eat humans?” Jace asked, his voice subdued in the dim light cast by the firepit in the center of the hut.

“I don’t know… probably, if they found us. I heard my mom and dad talking. They said the shifters think humans are extinct.”

“What does 'extinct' mean?”

Jace rolled onto his side. Mitchell rolled to face him. They stared at each other.

“It means the shifters think all the humans are dead.”

Jace frowned. “But… we aren’t. There aren’t many of us, but we aren’t all dead.”

“I know that, but the shifters don’t.”

“When I grow up, I’m going to fight the shifters. I’m going to make them extinct so we don’t have to hide anymore,” Jace vowed.

Mitchell frowned. “My dad said humans and shifters will live together again one day. He saw it in a dream.”

Jace actually sneered. Mitchell was surprised at the anger in his eyes. His friend was never mad at anyone.

“He saw it in a dream,” Jace scoffed. “Your dad’s crazy. What’s he going to do, go ask a shifter not to eat us?”

A flash of fury caused Mitchell to sit up. “My dad is not crazy.”

Jace sneered again, the expression turning his face ugly. “If he thinks humans and shifters will ever be friends, he is.”

Mitchell rose and stood over Jace with his hands on his hips. Jace’s parents and his sister looked at him with surprise. He glared down at Jace.

“No, he isn’t. If he said he saw it happen, then it’s going to happen. He knows things.”

“He’s stupid,” Jace mocked.

Mitchell clenched his fists and breathed deep. “Take that back.”

Jace stood and glared back at him. “No.”

Mitchell stepped closer until his chest and Jace’s were touching. He was an inch taller, almost two if he stood really straight. Jace shot him a mutinous expression.

“You’re the one who is stupid,” Mitchell finally said.

Jace reacted by punching him in the stomach. Mitchell fell back and grabbed his abdomen. Shock and surprise coursed through him, leaving him wide-eyed and incredulous as he stared at Jace.

“Jace! That is enough,” Jace’s father scolded.

“Mitchell, are you alright?” Jace’s mother asked.

Mitchell nodded, not taking his eyes off of Jace’s face. He backed away from the boy. There was only malice and mocking challenge in Jace's eyes.

“I-I have to go.”

He turned and left, ignoring Jace’s parents' calls to please stay. The rain was cold and slithered down his threadbare shirt. His feet sank into the soft soil of the forest. Tears burned his eyes, and he rubbed his stomach. Jace’s punch hadn’t hurt as much as surprised him.

Unwilling to face his parents' questions, he returned to the fire ring. Despite the steady, light rainfall, the fire still burned. It would take a while for the bed of coals to be extinguished. He sat on the log and stared at it. Wrapping his thin arms around his waist, he shivered. He started when a warm pelt was wrapped around his shoulders and his head was protected from the rain. Looking up, he stared into the compassionate eyes of Cyrus.

“Come, there is warm stew and a soft bed for you in our hut,” Cyrus said.

Mitchell looked at the hut where Cyrus and his wife, Elaina, lived. Pulling the pelt tighter over his shoulders, he rose and followed the elder to his hut. Elaina smiled at him.

Twenty minutes later, he was dry, warm, and sitting by their firepit eating a bowl of rabbit stew. He pushed the meat around in his bowl, pondering if it was the rabbit he had given them earlier that morning.

“Cyrus, do you think my dad is crazy?” he asked, looking across at the storyteller and his wife.

Cyrus chuckled and shook his head. “Darius? Crazy? No, Mitchell. Your father is one of the wisest men in the village.”

Mitchell swallowed, afraid to share what he had told Jace, afraid the elder would react the same way. He lowered his bowl to his lap and studied the couple’s faces.

“My dad says he had a dream. He saw humans and shifters living together as one.”

He waited for their response. Their expressions changed, but not in anger the way Jace’s had. There was a flash of confusion, then acceptance, and then… confirmation.

“There is… a story. One that has almost been forgotten,” Cyrus said.

“Most do not wish to hear it,” Elaina explained. "After the losses we have suffered, it is easier to remember only our own heroes, human heroes, but life is not so black and white."

Cyrus held her hand and smiled sadly. “Yes. This hero was a shifter, and it is now time for his story to be shared.”

Mitchell drew his knees up, steadying his bowl when it tilted. He scooped a spoonful of the delicious meal into his mouth and stared with wide eyes at Cyrus.

“This story is about an orangutan-shifter named King Or’Ang. He believed the same as your father, that humans and shifters were not meant to compete; they were destined to live together as one.”

Mitchell sat in rapt attention, his eyes wide with wonder, as he listened to the captivating tale. Unlike all the other stories he had heard, this one filled him with a renewed sense of hope and promise for humanity. He placed his empty bowl on the ground at his feet and leaned forward when Cyrus grew quiet.

“Why haven’t you shared this story with the others? Maybe if we were to meet shifters that liked us⁠—”

His voice died when Cyrus shook his head. There was a sadness in the older man’s eyes. One he didn’t understand.

“Our people aren’t ready for this story—yet. Perhaps one day, but not today,” Cyrus replied.

“But… we could be looking for him! What if we find him? Has anyone ever looked?”

Cyrus chuckled at his enthusiastic response. “No, son. It is a tale hidden within my family, passed down through the centuries, until the day a hero of our own needs to hear it.”

“A hero,” Mitchell murmured.

“Yes. Maybe one day you’ll be able to tell our hero the tale. Here, I have something to show you,” Cyrus said.

Mitchell watched as the man rose stiffly to his feet. Full of curiosity, he watched Cyrus as he pulled a small wooden box out from under a table and sat down next to him.

Cyrus slid the lid off and pulled out a thick leather hide. He unrolled it. Inside was a metal cylinder with carvings.

“Can I....?” Mitchell breathed, staring at the cylinder in awe.

Cyrus lifted the cylinder and handed it to him. He ran his fingers over the tube, marveling at the etchings. It showed a large half-man, half-ape sitting on an ornate throne. Pillars rose behind the man. They were covered in thick vines. What fascinated Mitchell were the images of humans and shifters sharing a meal together.

“Where did you get this? Is there anything inside?” he asked, looking up at Cyrus.

Fingers etched with scars gently took the cylinder from him. Mitchell bit his lip, watching as Cyrus carefully rolled the leather back around the metal tube, tied it with twine, and carefully returned it to the box. His fingers twitched with the need to hold and trace the patterns again.

“This has been passed down from my father’s father’s father to me. What is inside remains a mystery.”

“Why?” he asked, wincing when his voice came out sounding like Jayden’s. “Why is it a mystery? Can’t you open it?”

Cyrus slid the lid closed and laid his hands on top of the box.

“My father told me that when the time is right, then the contents will be revealed. Until then, it must be kept safe,” Cyrus replied, rising.

“How will you know when the time is right?”

“Settle down in your bed and I will tell you.”

Mitchell twisted in his seat, attentively watching Cyrus as he replaced the box under the table. Elaina walked over and wrapped her arm around Mitchell's shoulders, leading him to a small pallet on the ground on the other side of the firepit. He sank down on the pallet while Cyrus shrugged off the heavy fur coat he was wearing and draped it over the makeshift table. Mitchell looked away from where the box was now hidden to Cyrus, who sat on the raised pallet and removed his leather boots. Mitchell scrambled under the warm fur and laid back, rolling onto his side. Elaina climbed onto the pallet next to Cyrus, beneath the covers.

“When a human chooses a shifter as his or her mate, and is accepted, then it will be time. Now sleep,” Cyrus said before he blew out the candle next to him.

Mitchell rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling of the hut. Outside, the gentle sounds of rain continued. Light from the fire danced across the woven ceiling. For a time, he could almost imagine the orangutan king in a battle against his own kind, fighting to save the few humans that still lived.

What was in the cylinder? Was it a map? The ashes of the king? A hidden message that would bring shifters and humans together?

Folding his arm under his head, he rolled onto his side and let his thoughts wander to Jace. When the boys were five, they had sworn a blood oath to always protect each other. At just eight-years-old, Mitchell already understood the potential havoc that could be unleashed by the profound anger he had seen in Jace's eyes. The year before, there had been an incident involving a man named Dennis who had violently confronted his father over the ownership of some fish traps his father was using.

Mitchell didn’t know what had happened to Dennis. He had been there one day and gone the next. No one ever spoke his name. It was as if the man had never existed.

Would they do that to Jace?

He pulled the fur up under his chin and blinked at the fire in the firepit. What would he do? He had sworn to protect Jace. What if the anger in his friend’s eyes spread—the way it had in Dennis’s eyes? What would he do?

It won’t. I won’t let it.

Unable to contemplate harming his best friend, Mitchell turned his thoughts back to the cylinder. Soon, the warmth, his full stomach, and the patter of the rain lured him into a deep sleep filled with dreams of great hidden palaces where humans and shifters lived side-by-side.

CHAPTER1

Present day:

The dense canopy of the Olympic National Park filtered the early morning sunlight, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was crisp and filled with the rich scent of pine and damp earth. Mitchell moved through the underbrush. His senses were attuned to his surroundings. After a lifetime of living with the dangers of discovery, he had become a master of navigating these wilds, always on guard for both prey and predators.

Today, however, his instincts buzzed with a different anticipation. There was something—or someone—out there, moving with purpose and skill. He paused, crouching low and letting the forest’s natural sounds guide him. A rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig, and then he saw her.

The woman moved through the forest with a natural grace. The markings along her hairline and along the exposed column of her throat showed she was a shifter. The markings reminded him of Ty Bearclaw, Ella’s new husband.

For centuries, Mitchell's people, the last known humans to exist on Earth, had hidden from the shifters who had nearly wiped his people out. Ella had been discovered after she and Jayden had ventured beyond the forests. Their recklessness had forced Mitchell, as leader of the clan, to move their clan repeatedly to remain hidden. But as long as Ella was with them, they could not stay hidden from Ty Bearclaw. The shifter would not forget her.

The elders had been relentlessly urging Mitchell to marry Ella. The two of them had been lifelong friends, and deep down, Mitchell couldn’t deny the relief he felt when she decided to be with someone else—though her choice was the most outrageous she could have made: a shifter.

When the other villagers had called for Ella and Ty’s execution, Mitchell had refused. The tale Cyrus had told him long ago had drifted through his mind. Humans and shifters could live as one.

He did not know how the choice to spare them would ultimately affect his clan, but he believed the connection between humans and shifters was inevitable. He would not add more deaths to the long-standing conflicts between their peoples if he did not have to. Ella had been banished from the village, Ty had been returned to his people, and Mitchell hoped that their love was still going strong.

Love finds a way.

Mitchell's headaches, however, had continued: the elders who were unhappy with his choice, his own insatiable curiosity about Ella’s bond with a shifter, the logistics of moving his clan again, and now another shifter was here in hisforest.

His breath caught in his throat as he watched her. Her presence was commanding. Her movements were measured and confident. It was one thing to hear stories about grizzly-shifters, but actually encountering them in person was an entirely different and unforgettable experience.

Ty Bearclaw had impressed him. The man’s love for Ella had been clearly written on his face. Still, that didn’t mean he would welcome the female shifter who was here now. Mitchell may have hope for a better future, a shared future, but he could not afford to be a naïve fool. Lives depended on how he handled every encounter with the shifters.

He followed her, staying upwind. She paused every once in a while, scanning the ground in front of her before looking up. His gut warned him that she was searching for his clan.

Why is she alone?

It could be a choice meant to show that she meant no harm—or it could be that she intended to never be noticed at all. If that were the case, what was it that she intended to do in secret? If she did plan to introduce herself, what did she want with them? As he followed her, she maintained a steady pace that gave her time to study the ground in front of her for tracks.

He wasn’t overly worried about her discovering anything. He had moved the clan deeper into the woods. It was further east and a good four days’ journey from his current location. He had entrusted Connell and Thomas with the responsibility of establishing a temporary village, allowing the rest of the group to rest while he retraced their steps to eliminate any possibility of being tracked.

He was tracking the shifter now, and two hours later, she was standing within the grouping of trees where Ty Bearclaw had been held. She turned in a tight circle, muttering inaudibly under her breath. He could tell from her expression that the words were far from pleasant.

She scuffed the toe of her boot against the ground and studied the vegetation. He held his breath when she squatted down and gently ran her fingers over the ferns Jayden and Mallory had planted. Weeks had passed since they left this place. He was sure she wouldn’t find anything. The frequent rains had nurtured the plants, helping them thrive, and his people were meticulous about not leaving any evidence of their existence behind when they moved.

Unless she dug down several feet, she wouldn’t find anything. She tossed the handful of dirt she had picked up back onto the ground and stood. She walked in a circle, looking up at the trees.

“Where in the hell are you? I know you are out there. My bear can sense you watching us. You’ve been following me for half the day,” she growled.

His lips twitched at the exasperation in her voice. She had her back to him with her hands on her hips. His amusement grew when she kicked her boot against the ground in frustration.

“Okay. If you want to play, we’ll play!” she called out.

Mitchell wasn’t sure what she planned until she unfastened the backpack she was wearing, dropped it to the ground, and shrugged out of her jacket. She tossed her jacket onto the ferns. He straightened when she turned in his direction and her hands went to the top button of her shirt. He knew she planned to shift when the shirt slid down to reveal her shoulder. He made a decision he hoped he wouldn’t come to regret.

Stepping out of his hiding place, he cleared his throat. The shirt stopped its downward slide, and she stiffened. She slowly pulled her shirt back on, and his eyes were immediately drawn to her fingers as she refastened the buttons. This time, she was the one to clear her throat. He raised his eyes to her face—and felt an unusual pressure in his chest when she stared at him with a raised, knowing eyebrow and an amused smile.

They stared at each other in silence, each weighing the other. He kept one hand on the knife sheathed at his hip. She finished buttoning her blouse, then she leaned down to retrieve her jacket and slid it on without breaking their connection. Her lips tightened and an unexpectedly intense emotion flashed through her eyes before she blinked and it was gone. He wasn’t sure if it was surprise or annoyance.

“You’re Mitchell, I presume,” she called in greeting.

Her voice was sultry with a slight growl to it that sent a shiver down his spine. It was a voice that brooked no nonsense, commanding respect without demanding it. His lips twitched at his musings. She raised both eyebrows and shot him a glare that made it clear she wasn’t someone to be laughed at.

“That’s me,” he replied, standing his ground. “What brings a Bearclaw to these parts? I assume you are a Bearclaw. You look…” he paused and studied the white streaks running through her hair on each side, “… like the man we captured.”

Her eyes flashed at the reminder of the threat to her brother. “You didn’t capture him. He walked into your village looking for Ella. I’m Tracy Bearclaw, Ty’s sister.”

“Did you plan on just walking into our village as well? As far as I know, you don’t have a mate there willing to fight or die for you,” he replied in a dry tone.

Tracy’s eyes flashed with a mixture of determination and something else—something that Mitchell couldn’t quite place. “I’m here to offer protection for you and your people,” she said bluntly.

Mitchell raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think we need your protection? We’ve done pretty well without shifter help.”

She stepped closer. “Have you? From what Ella told us, there aren’t many of you left.”

His mouth tightened. “Thanks to the shifters.”

She stopped, and her eyes filled with compassion and wariness. “Other shifters know that humans exist now. They tried to kidnap—no, they did kidnap Ella. They will assume there are more of you and come searching. I'm here to help you.”

Despair rose in his gut. “Ella⁠—”

Tracy smiled. “—is safe with Ty. She is pretty amazing.”

“For a human, you mean?”

Her expression hardened at his sarcastic tone. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

“No," she retorted.

Mitchell smiled. It would appear the tint of red in her hair was indicative of her temper.

"Look, I’m a senior field faculty member for the Washington State Animal Sanctuary, Research, and Observation Center. I work in the Anthropology and Archeology department studying ancient human civilizations,” she explained.

He gave her a suspicious look. “You've studied ancient humans. And you're here now because you want to add us to your collection?”

“No! No, I want to save your life.”

“How?"

She squared her shoulders with determination and took a deep breath, clearly readying herself to begin a long, well-practiced speech. He leaned his shoulder against the tree he was standing next to and studied her. He liked the way her eyes flashed and her cheeks turned rosy. She must have sensed he was thinking of something other than their conversation because her cheeks turned a brighter pink.

She ignored it and answered his question, “There's a transition location within this National Park where you and the rest of your people could stay until a permanent location is completed. It will be close to home and more familiar to you than the permanent compound, but it's still relatively easy to defend, and it has infrastructure already in place, so we can give you supplies without attracting notice⁠—"

“You want to cage us.” Mitchell shook his head vehemently.

“No! No, you could leave. I swear it. You could leave—it's just... well, it would not be advisable to leave, not at first. The goal is to welcome you into normal society. Before we can do that, we have to make sure you and your people are safe. Once shifters become used to the idea of there being humans, they will be more accepting and think of you less as… well, as novelties. Until that point is reached, it will be necessary to protect you. We can’t do that if you stay at your current location because any assistance we provide could be traced and we wouldn't be able to protect you as well out in the open forest. So we have a transition compound ready for you and then there would be a permanent one with a lot more space and security⁠—”

Mitchell narrowed his eyes. "No."

"It's a big change, I know. You don't have to answer right away⁠—"

"No."

“Are you always so stubborn?” she snapped, exasperated again.

An unexpected chuckle slipped from him. He pointed out, “I’m not the one venturing into the forest alone, chasing ghosts.”

Her lips twitched, her eyes roving over his face with frustrated appreciation. She dropped her arms to her side and shoved her hands into her back pockets as she released a deep sigh. Curious, he stepped away from the tree and approached her. She didn’t move as he circled her.

“You’re not a ghost,” she murmured.

“How do I know you aren’t one?” he asked, stopping mere inches in front of her. He didn't much care that he wasn't making sense, he couldn't stop himself from daring her to touch him. Even so, shock still coursed through him when she placed her hands on his shoulders, leaned forward, and… paused.

Confusion, vulnerability, and uncertainty warred within her eyes. The unusual thread of awareness he'd felt when he first saw her tightened, wrapping him like a moth in a spider’s web. He swore he could almost see the silver strands of the web glistening in the midafternoon sunlight.

He lowered his head, capturing her upturned lips in an exploratory kiss. Her lips parted under the pressure of his, and he took command. He slid his hands along her hips under her jacket and pulled her against his body. She would feel his arousal, just as he could taste hers in her shuddering breath and soft lips.

Sanity was slow to return. She was a shifter… an Other. He was the leader of his clan. They were natural-born enemies, regardless of what she said. He had a responsibility to his people to be careful. This was a disaster. He released her and stepped back.

“Go back where you came from, Tracy Bearclaw, and forget about us.”

Mitchell turned to walk away, but Tracy's hand shot out and she gripped his arm. He looked down at her. Her face was flushed. Her eyes were soft with confusion and desire. Her lips were swollen from their kiss.

“What about the dangers?”

“If the shifters come, we will deal with them,” he replied before striding back the way he had come.

* * *

“You’re wrong, you know. You don’t understand how dangerous it will be,” she called after him.

Tracy gritted her teeth and continued following Mitchell, the man who, for better or for worse, was going to be stuck with her as his annoying shadow. She pushed aside a fern and kept pace with him. With her curiosity on high alert, the scientist side of her meticulously analyzed every detail about him, searching for clues and insights.

Not just scientist, her grizzly snickered.

Shut up.

He good. I keep.

You know it’s not all about you, right? she silently retorted.

The warm, fuzzy feeling inside her gut when she first saw Mitchell had spread to the tips of her fingers and toes. As a shifter, she recognized what it meant. She had found her mate.

And he thinks I’m his enemy.

That was a sobering thought. She stumbled back a step when the bottom of her jacket caught on a saw-vine. With a displeased growl, she forcefully tried to yank it loose.

“You’ll rip the material if you keep doing that.”

She scowled at him when he stepped closer and untangled her. She swallowed the defensive retort on her lips, distracted by the silly thought that his eyes were the soft warm brown of her bear’s fur.

“Thank you.”

He gave her a curt nod before he turned away again. Her shoulders sagged and she shook her head, hurrying forward. She had to take three steps for every one of his.

“I'll give you some time to think about it," she called after him, "but I'm not leaving. I can protect you."

“Well, that would be a change.”

She growled with frustration. "I know! Ok? I know. It's a big ask for you to trust me. I can wait until you're ready."

"You'll wait?" he complained. "And, what? You'll be following me until I'm 'ready'?"

"Yes."

He laughed with exasperation. "Then I guess we'll see how well a shifter can keep up." Grumbling under his breath, he added, "See if you've gotten soft since The Great War."

She sighed, but didn't reply. He continued walking. Tracy started after him again. They covered close to a mile before he slowed his pace and came to a stop. Tracy opened her mouth, but closed it when he lifted his hand in warning.

Do you smell anything?

She lifted her nose and sniffed the air. Her head turned slightly to the right. The very faint scent of smoke from a campfire.

Shifter? her bear mused.

No. Not this far in.

Mitchell pulled the knife at his hip and motioned for her to get down. She began to sink to her knees when a man with reddish-blond hair stepped out from behind a tree nearly fifty feet from them. Tracy straightened. There was no sense in her trying to hide when it was obvious the man had spotted her. He was dressed similarly to Mitchell in a woven shirt, leather pants and boots, and a loose-fitting leather jacket.

“Jace, what are you doing here?”

Mitchell’s voice held a note of caution and an underlying thread of anger as Jace came closer. There was a palpable tension between the two men.

“I see you caught another beast,” Jace responded.

Mitchell took a step back in her direction but didn’t take his eyes off the man. The hair on the back of Tracy’s neck was standing up. There was something off about this human. Her bear did not like him.

“You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?” Mitchell repeated.

The man named Jace shrugged. “We promised always to have each other’s back. Remember?”

There was a slight dig in the man’s voice. Tracy lifted her nose and sniffed. She couldn’t tell if the man was lying or not. It didn’t matter. She had been in enough dangerous places in the world to know when to trust her gut, and it was screaming bloody murder.

“You should be helping the others,” Mitchell replied.

“Connell and Thomas had it under control. It isn’t our first move. What are you going to do with it?” Jace asked, staring at her.

Tracy lifted her chin and folded her arms across her chest. She could handle a human wanting to play 'big man in the forest'. This wasn’t her first rodeo with arrogant, macho men.

“Its name is Tracy Bearclaw. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jace,” she responded in the same tone she used when her students got too big for their britches.

“Bearclaw? Any relation to Ella’s beast?” Jace asked.

“Ty is my twin brother. We prefer to be called shifters, or better yet, I prefer you call me Ms. Bearclaw.”

Jace’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’d prefer to call you dinner.”

Tracy paled and warily stepped back. Uncertainty flashed through her. Had she missed something? Were humans cannibalistic?

“Knock it off, Jace.” Mitchell turned to face her. “We don’t hunt shifters.”

“Not for food… yet,” Jace added with a malicious grin.